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This study aimed to investigate the associations between flavonoid intake and total and cardiovascular mortality in the older participants from the prospective National Institute of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study.We included 369,827 eligible participants (mean age 61.2 ± 5.4 years) who were free of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, diabetes, and end-stage renal disease at baseline. Dietary flavonoids and major subclasses (flavan-3-ols, flavones, anthocyanidins, flavonones, and flavonols) were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire.During a median follow-up of 23.5 years, we identified 143,403 deaths, of which 40,660 from CVDs. After adjustment for major confounders, total dietary flavonoids and most flavonoid subclasses were related to significantly lower total mortality (hazard ratios: 0.87-0.94), comparing the highest and lowest quintiles. Besides, higher intakes of total flavonoids, flavonols, anthocyanidins, and flavones were consistently associated with lower risks of death from all CVDs (hazard ratios: 0.90-0.93), ischemic heart disease (hazard ratios: 0.89-0.94), cerebrovascular disease (hazard ratios: 0.84-0.89), and peripheral artery disease (hazard ratios: 0.79-0.81). Subgroup analysis revealed that the inverse relationships between dietary flavonoids and total and CVD mortality were more evident in former/current smokers than in never-smokers.In conclusion, high intakes of flavonoids were linked to lower total and CVD mortality among older people. Our results extended the current evidence that frequent consumption of flavonoids could be a practical approach to improving cardiovascular health during aging.

Maternal vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), but the exact mechanism remains unclear. Here we explored the mechanism through which VDD induced IUGR.Female SD rats were fed a control normal diet (VD 800 IU/Kg) or VDD diet (VD: 0 IU/Kg) for 8 weeks. Then, females were mated with 12-week-old male SD rats, and fetal and placental tissue were collected on the gestational day 13 (GD13) or 18 (GD18) to analyze the effects of VDD on pregnancy outcome and embryonic development. In vitro, the VDR gene of HTR-8/SVneo cells was knocked down to establish VDD model. Then, HTR-8/SVneo cells were treated with the MST1/2 inhibitor XMU-MP-1 or 0.1 μM/L calcitriol for 24 h (h). The mechanism of Hippo-YAP signaling pathway in VDD-induced placental dysplasia was further investigated by western blot, invasion assay, wound healing assay and Hoechst/PI staining.The IUGR of the pregnant rats in the VDD group was significant, the placental structure and function were damaged, and there was an obvious inflammatory response, accompanied by a significant increase in the level of the transcription co-activator YAP phosphorylation. In vitro, VDD significantly inhibited the migratory and invasive abilities of HTR-8/SVneo cells, accompanied by decreased EMT capacity and increased apoptosis. When intervening with XMU-MP-1 in advance, we found that the effects of VDD were neutralized by Hippo-YAP signaling blocker.Maternal VDD causes placental dysplasia and IUGR, and these abnormal changes may be associated with the activation of Hippo-YAP signaling pathway.

Summary Background & aims Plasma ceramides have been identified as novel risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary anthocyanins on plasma ceramides and to disentangle whether the alterations in ceramides could be related with those in other cardiometabolic risk factors in the dyslipidemia. Methods In a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, 176 eligible dyslipidemia subjects were randomly assigned into four groups receiving placebo, 40, 80, or 320 mg/day anthocyanins, respectively for 12 weeks. Results A total of 169 subjects completed the study. After 12-week intervention, dietary anthocyanins dose-dependently reduced plasma concentrations of all six ceramide species in the dyslipidemia subjects (all Ptrend values Conclusions Reductions in plasma Cer 16:0 and Cer 18:0 after 12-week anthocyanin intervention were dose-dependently associated with improvements in plasma lipids and cholesterol efflux capacity in the dyslipidemia. Clinical trial registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier No. NCT03415503.

The development of the homestay industry has helped Chinese consumers to diversify their consumption of accommodation products. This paper examines the impact of demographic variables, such as tourists’ age, gender, level of education, occupation, and discretionary income, on their perceived functional, emotional, and social values via a multi-layered hierarchical approach. Using a sample of 472 homestay guests from 45 homestays across six provinces, we used cluster analysis to test whether there are significant differences between demographic groups in terms of functional perceived value, emotional value, and social value. In general, age plays an important role in the classification of homestay guests. Male students and male business owners pay more attention to the emotional value of the hotel than do other types of guests. Female business owners and employees of enterprises and institutions pay more attention to the social perception value brought to them by staying in homestays. This study has useful implications for the management of homestay accommodation.

Magnesium (Mg) metal anode pairing with Sulfur (S) cathode has been regarded as a promising contender for next-generation battery technology holding the characteristics of safety in use, low cost and high energy density. However, the sluggish kinetic and the inferior reversibility of Mg–S electrochemical reaction are two main challenges impeding the development of practical Mg–S batteries. Herein, SeS2 is proposed as a superior cathode for Mg batteries based on the complementary features of S (high specific capacity) and Se (high electronic conductivity). In this designed Mg–SeS2 battery with a Cu foam interlayer between cathode and separator, SeS2 compositing with ordered mesoporous carbon (SeS2/CMK3) exhibits impressive electrochemical performance. Various characterizations towards the electrochemical evolution on cathode side reveal that Cu foam interlayer not only acts as the trapping layer by the rapid chemical immobilization of polysulfide (polyselenide) species on Cu foam, but also serves as a “promoter” to propel the overall charge-discharge kinetics by the reversible displacement reaction between copper sulfide (copper selenide) and Mg2+. Benefiting from the unique advantages of SeS2/CMK3 and the rationally designed Cu interlayer, this novel Mg–SeS2 system demonstrates a feasible strategy to exploit the rechargeable Mg batteries with low cost, high areal capacity and large current capability.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) had shown promising effects in improving the lipid and glycemic profile in dyslipidemic individuals in our previous work, but little is known about how it affects high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function in patients with dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on HDL function in people with dyslipidemia.A 24-wk, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 101 people with dyslipidemia. All patients were randomized into the CoQ10 group (120 mg/d, n = 51) or the placebo group (n = 50). High-density lipoprotein-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC), HDL inflammatory index (HII), and HDL intrinsic oxidation were measured at baseline, 12 wk, and 24 wk.CoQ10 supplementation for 24 wk significantly improved HDL-mediated CEC (mean change, 1.21±2.44 versus -0.12±2.94; P = 0.014) and reduced HII (mean change, -0.32±0.58 versus -0.05±0.49, P = 0.014) compared with placebo. However, there was no significant difference in the effect of CoQ10 on HDL intrinsic oxidation between the two groups after 24 wk (P = 0.290). A positive correlation was found between the changes in CEC and HDL cholesterol in the CoQ10 group (r, 0.30; P = 0.032). Furthermore, we also found that the improved HDL functions were more obvious in elderly, female, or non-obese individuals, which indicated a specific population that benefits most from CoQ10 intervention.This study suggested that supplementation of CoQ10 for 24 wk can significantly improve HDL-mediated CEC and antiinflammatory function of HDL in patients with dyslipidemia.

For a patient with a unilateral orbital defect, an esthetic orbital prosthesis plays an essential role in enhancing quality of life. This technique describes the combined use of a facial scanner and an intraoral scanner to acquire the digital scan for the design and fabrication of an orbital prosthesis. The method results in an esthetic prosthesis with accurate skin texture reproduction.

An effective sensing matrix can sample sparse or compressible signals without distortion provided that the matrix satisfies the low mutual coherence in the compressive sensing paradigm. In this work, we propose a novel structural chaotic sensing matrix (ScSM), which has the merits of both structured random sensing matrix and chaotic construction. The proposed ScSM first flips original signal, then fast and pseudo-randomly measures the flipped coefficients using a chaotic-based circulant operator, and at last, down-samples the resulting measurements to obtain the final samples. We elaborate the flipping permutation operator, chaotic-based circulant matrix, and down-sampling operator for the ScSM based on Chebyshev chaotic sequence. Moreover, the proposed ScSM is proven to yield low mutual coherence, which guarantees the desirable sampling efficiency. Experimental validations demonstrate the validity of the theory. Because of its well-designed structurally deterministic construction, the proposed ScSM has inherent superiority for storage, fast calculation, and hardware realization.

Piperine is the major pungent ingredient in black and white peppers. The present study investigated plasma cholesterol-lowering activity of piperine and associated underlying mechanism in hypercholesterolemia hamsters. Thirty-two hamsters were assigned into four groups receiving one of four diets namely a non-cholesterol diet (NCD), a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), and the two HCD diets containing 0.03% (PL) and 0.06% (PH) piperine, respectively, for 6 weeks. Results showed that PL and PH diets significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol (TC) by 16–17%, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) by 24–25%, respectively. This was accompanied by 84–109% increase in fecal excretion of neutral sterols with down-regulation on gene expression of intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 protein (NPC1L1), acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2), and microsomal triacylglycerol transport protein (MTP). It was concluded that plasma TC-lowering activity of piperine was mediated by reducing the intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition on gene expression of intestinal NPC1L1, ACAT and MTP.

Compressed sensing is a revolutionary sampling framework at a sub-Nyquist rate, which relies potentially on sensing matrix. In this paper, a large class of chaotic sensing matrices with low complexity, hardware-friendly implementation and desirable sampling efficiency is proposed based on topologically conjugate chaotic systems (TCcSs). Specifically, we first elaborate an independently and identically distributed chaotic stream, which is generated from a TCcS via our customized zone matching algorithm. Then, the chaotic stream is employed to construct the novel chaotic sensing matrix. Our framework encompasses various families of TCcSs for establishing sensing matrices, such as TCcSs of Tent chaotic system. Moreover, the mutual coherence of the proposed sensing matrices is investigated, and it shows that this kind of chaotic sensing matrices has similar sampling efficiency to that of the state-of-the-art sensing matrices. Experimental performances verify the correctness of the theoretical analysis and illustrate that the proposed matrices can provide comparable results against the existing ones.

Background Interest in using herbal medicines to treat the hypercholesterolemia is increasing. Cranberry extract could decrease plasma cholesterol, however, the active ingredients and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Hypothesis The present study was to test the hypothesis that cranberry anthocyanins (CrA) were at least one of the active ingredients responsible for the cholesterol-lowering activity of cranberry fruits via a mechanism of increasing fecal sterol excretion. Methods Forty-four hamsters were randomly divided into five groups and fed one of the five diets, namely a non-cholesterol control diet (NCD), a high-cholesterol control diet (HCD), a HCD diet supplemented with a low dose of 1% CrA (CL), a HCD diet supplemented with a high dose of 2% CrA (CH), and a HCD diet supplemented with 0.5% cholestyramine as a positive control drug (P-CTL), respectively, for six weeks. Plasma lipoprotein cholesterol was quantified using the enzymatic kits, while the gene expressions of transporters, enzymes and receptors involved in cholesterol absorption and metabolism were quantified using the quantitative RT-PCR. Fecal sterols were quantified using gas chromatography (GC). Results Plasma total cholesterol and aorta atherosclerotic plaque decreased dose-dependently with the increasing amounts of CrA added into diets. This was accompanied by a dose-dependent increase in excretion of both neutral and acidic sterols. CrA had no effect on the mRNA levels of intestinal Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 protein (NPC1L1), acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase2 (ACAT2), microsomal triacylglycerol transport protein (MTP), and ATP binding cassette transporter 5 (ABCG5) as well as hepatic cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl reductase (HMG-CoA-R), sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2), LDL receptor (LDL-R), and Liver X receptor alpha (LXRα). Conclusion CrA as an herbal medicine could favorably modify the lipoprotein profile in hamsters fed a high cholesterol diet by enhancing excretion of fecal neutral and acidic sterols, most likely not mediated by interaction with genes of transporters, enzymes and proteins involved in cholesterol absorption and metabolism.

This study investigated the effect of konjac glucomannan (KGM) of different molecular weight on fecal microflora against antibiotic disturbance. KGM (~1.8 × 107 Da) was partially hydrolysed with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) for 10 and 60 min to KGM1 (~2.1 × 104 Da) and KGM2 (7413 Da), respectively. The acid treatment caused significant reduction of intrinsic viscosity, average molecular weight (MW) and particle size of KGM, but brought limited change to the molecular structure. Low-MW KGM2 showed the most significant effect on fecal microflora in the presence of two common antibiotics (ampicillin and clindamycin), by increasing the relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae while decreasing the proportion of Enterobacteriaceae. Additionally, both the native and acid-treated KGM counteracted the adverse influence of antibiotics on the production of short chain fatty acids. The results have demonstrated the effect of KGM on gut microbiota with antibiotic disturbance.

Response of bagged and non-bagged apple to light is different. Meanwhile, for the same variety, average sugar content of the non-bagged apple is higher than that of the bagged apple. Spectral data have been used to rapidly and quantitatively determine soluble solids content (SSC) of the bagged and non-bagged apples. First, the spectral data were acquired from four circular areas evenly distributed around the equatorial circumference of each apple, which would be used to determine the SSC value. Standard normal variable (SNV) transformation was used to pre-process the spectral data. Second, Monte Carlo cross validation (MCCV) algorithm was employed to reject abnormal samples. Sample set was divided into a training set and a test set by uniform sampling. Third, Characteristic wavelengths were extracted by principal component analysis (PCA) and ant colony optimization (ACO). Finally, regression models between the spectra and SSCs were established by back-propagation neural network (BP-ANN) and partial least squares (PLS). In this study, six non-destructive SSC estimation models were established for the bagged and non-bagged apple fruits, where optimal models were established respectively by comparing estimation accuracy. Results showed that ACO-PLS model achieved the highest SSC estimation accuracy for both bagged and non-bagged apples. The root mean square error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R) for the training set of the non-bagged apple fruits were 0.35 °Bx and 0.93, while that for the corresponding test set were 0.32 °Bx and 0.93, respectively. The RMSE and R for the training set of the bagged apple fruits were 0.38 °Bx and 0.94, and that for the corresponding test set were 0.31 °Bx and 0.96, respectively. It indicated the ACO-PLS estimation model is promising for grading interior apple quality because it provides a quick and non-destructive method for measuring the SSC.

Resveratrol (RSV) is a dietary polyphenol with well-documented cardio-protective activity, but its effects on blood cholesterol levels remain to be established. Due to its poor bioavailability, tissue accumulation of RSV is extremely low except for that in the small intestine. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the dose-dependent effects of RSV on blood cholesterol levels and the involvement of small intestine in the cholesterol-lowering impacts of RSV. Mice were administrated with RSV at various doses with high-fat diet (HFD) or high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 12 weeks. The fecal neutral sterol contents were analyzed, and intestinal perfusion test was performed. An enteric barrier model using Caco-2 cells was established. We observed that RSV reduced blood cholesterol levels in a dose-dependent manner in mice fed with HFD or HCD. Further investigation revealed that RSV administration increased the bile acid pool size but did not affect cholesterol consumption or de novo cholesterol synthesis. Interestingly, RSV promoted trans-intestinal cholesterol excretion (TICE) by 2-fold in the intestinal perfusion test. In addition, RSV upregulated the expressions of ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 5 or 8 (Abcg5/8) and ATP-binding cassette sub-family B member 1a or 1b (Abcb1a/b) by up to 8 times in the duodenum mucosa but not in the liver. RSV also significantly downregulated the expression of intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (Npc1l1). Knock-down of liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) but not Sirt1 by siRNA significantly blocked RSV-induced cholesterol excretion in Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, RSV could decrease circulating cholesterol levels through enhancing TICE and limiting cholesterol absorption via selective activation of intestinal LXRα.

Graphene oxide membranes (GOMs) have become promising materials in several applications, such as nanofluidic devices, ion sieving, biosensors, lithium-based batteries, and supercapacitors. Understanding the transport properties of cations in the interlayer spacings between Graphene oxide (GO) sheets is crucial for developing GOMs for these applications. In this study, we used an impedance-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to detect the in situ structural adaptivity of interlayer spacings and cation behaviors in GOMs for responses to cation adsorption. The results showed that different cations (K+, Na+, Li+, or Mg2+) could cause various marked changes in GOM properties, including dissipation, mass, and viscoelastic characteristics, thereby revealing significant selective GOM transport properties, which indicated the excellent cation sensing and identification ability of GOMs. The presence of K+ resulted in a decrease in the mass and dissipation properties of GOMs, as obtained from the Δf–ΔR response analysis, which demonstrated the sieving effect of the cations of the KCl-controlled GOMs in our previous work. Notably, Li+ has superior transport and adsorption performances compared to other cations. We believe that these findings might provide a novel route in cation sensing, identification analysis, or the extraction of cations.

A high fat diet induces the accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides (LPO), accelerates the ageing process and causes a greater mortality in Drosophila melanogaster. Purple sweet potato is rich in antioxidant anthocyanin. The purpose of the present study was to examine if supplementation of purple sweet potato anthocyanin (PSPA) could reduce the mortality of fruit flies fed a high-fat diet. Results showed that the mean lifespan of fruit flies was shortened from 56 to 35days in a dose-dependent manner when lard in the diet increased from 0% to 20%. PSPA supplementation partially attenuated the lard-induced mortality. The maximum lifespan and 50% survival time were 49 and 27days, respectively, for the 10% lard control flies, in contrast, these parameters increased to 57 and 30days in the PSPA-supplemented fruit flies. Similarly, addition of lard into diet increased the total body LPO, while addition of PSPA partially attenuated its increase. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that PSPA-supplemented diet significantly up-regulated the mRNA of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Rpn11, compared with the control lard diet. The western blot analysis also demonstrated that PSPA supplementation was associated with up-regulation protein mass of SOD1, SOD2, and CAT. In addition, PSPA supplementation could restore the climbing ability of fruit flies fed a 10% lard diet. We could conclude that the lifespan-prolonging activity of PSPA was potentially mediated by modulating the genes of SOD, CAT and Rpn11.

Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have focused on the periodontal regenerative functions of enamel matrix derivative (EMD), a heat-treated preparation derived from enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) of developing porcine teeth. In this study, periodontal ligament (PDL) stem cells (PDLSCs) were isolated, and the effects of EMD on the extracorporeal induction process and the characteristics of PDLSC sheets were investigated for their potential as a more effective stem-cell therapy. EMD-enhanced cell sheets could be induced by complete medium supplemented with 50 μg/mL vitamin C and 100 μg/mL EMD. The EMD-enhanced cell sheets appeared thicker and more compact than the normal PDLSC sheets, demonstrated more layers of cells (3-7 layers), secreted richer extracellular matrix (ECM), showed varying degrees of increases in mRNA expression of periodontal tissue-specific genes (COL I, POSTN), calcification-related genes (RUNX2, OPN, OCN) and a cementum tissue-specific gene (CAP), and possessed a better mineralization ability in terms of osteogenic differentiation in vitro. These EMD-enhanced cell sheets may represent a potential option for stem-cell therapy for PDL regeneration.

Summary Background & aims The results of randomized controlled trials in relation to the effect of regular black tea consumption on serum cholesterol concentration were inconsistent. We aimed to investigate and quantify the effect of black tea consumption on serum concentrations of total, LDL and HDL cholesterol. Methods We systematically searched and identified relevant literatures in PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion and exclusion of studies, data extraction, quality assessment and meta-analysis were conducted according to the PRISMA statement. Results Ten eligible studies with 411 participants were identified in the present meta-analysis. No significant heterogeneity was found between studies. Consumption of black tea significantly reduced LDL cholesterol concentration (−4.64 mg/dL; 95% CI: −8.99, −0.30 mg/dL; P = 0.036). No remarkable change was detected in total cholesterol (−2.04 mg/dL; 95% CI: −6.43, 2.35 mg/dL; P = 0.363) or HDL cholesterol (−1.15 mg/dL; 95% CI: −3.04, 0.75 mg/dL; P = 0.236). Subgroup analysis showed that the lowering effect on LDL cholesterol was more effective in subjects with higher cardiovascular risk. Conclusions Black tea consumption significantly lowered serum concentration of LDL cholesterol, especially in subjects with higher cardiovascular risk. Black tea intake did not impose obvious effect on serum concentrations of total and HDL cholesterol.

The association between breastfeeding status and childhood overweight is inconclusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between exclusive breastfeeding and childhood overweight risk in children 4-5 y of age in Southeast China. Among 97,424 children enrolled between 1999 and 2009 in the Jiaxing Birth Cohort, 42,550 of them were included in the final analysis with complete records on breastfeeding status and anthropometric measurements at 4-5 y of age (48-60 mo). Overweight and being at risk of overweight were identified as a body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-score ≥ 2 and between 1 and 2, respectively. After 4-5 y of follow-up, 4845 (11.4%) children were identified as being at risk of overweight, and 1343 (3.16%) children were overweight. Adjusting for important child and maternal characteristics, longer duration of breastfeeding was associated with lower risk of childhood overweight (P-trend = 0.009) and being at risk of overweight (P-trend < 0.001). Children exclusively breastfed for 3-5 mo and ≥6 mo had 13% (RR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.99) and 27% (RR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.95) lower risk of becoming overweight compared with children exclusively breastfed for

Novel silica rich core-sheath ceramic microfibers where yttria stabilized zirconia core referring as ZY@S have been developed by co-axial electrospinning for dental composites reinforcement. The out layer enables sufficient silanization and refractive index with resin matrix. Majority composition of these microfibers was silica. The 2.5% or 5% ZY@S microfibers reinforced dental composites have improved flexural strength and modulus than control without microfibers. The composites reinforced by ZY@S microfibers retain translucency and esthetics. The results have demonstrated that these novel structured ceramic microfibers are potential reinforcing materials for dental composites.

A new dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan named matairesinol 4′-O-β-d-cellobioside (1), together with a known compound (7R, 8S)-dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (2) was isolated from Caulis Trachelospermi. The extract of Caulis Trachelospermi, which was separated by 80% alcohol extraction and subsequent HP-20 macroporous resin column chromatography, and its main components trachelogenin (3), nortrachelogenin (4), matairesinol (5) showed moderate inhibiting activities on NF-κB signaling pathway induced by TNFα, with the IC50 values of 17.7μg/mL, 17.9μM, 49.4μM and 29.1μM, respectively.

Objective The objective of this study was to reconstruct alveolar crest at home position using distraction osteogenesis (DO) with a personalized curvilinear distractor designed through computer-aided technology. Study design Five adult dogs were recruited and the maxillary alveolar bone from the first incisor to the first premolar was excised. The dentoalveolar segment adjacent to the defect was osteotomized as a bone transport disk. After 8 weeks of consolidation, the dogs were humanely killed, and the regenerated bone was analyzed. Results The DO was successful in the experimental group. The radiographs and histology both verified new bone bridging distraction gap. However, the newly formed bone was located more internally and was not in original position. Conclusions The proposed method to reconstruct alveolar crest at home position is improper. The key point was how to maintain the distraction space and hold it at the home position. The barrier membrane technique may be used together with DO to resolve the problem.

Purpose The aims of this study are to introduce a novel method of 3-dimensional (3D) analysis of the face and to provide normative data of the Chinese face for surgeons. Materials and Methods Fifty men and 50 women were recruited, and a 3D stereophotogrammetry system was used to acquire their facial image data. For each subject, the image was aligned to a unified coordinate system, and coordinate values of 31 facial landmarks were collected. Mean values for each landmark were calculated within genders, and 3D models of both genders were constructed based on the mean values. Subsequently, to evaluate the sexual dimorphism, the models were superimposed. Then, to delineate the shape differences independent of size, the models were normalized and superimposed again. The application of the 3D models was also exemplified by analysis of a subject's facial deformity. Results Linear and polyhedron 3D models representing the facial shape were built for both genders. The superimposed models and the absolute differences between each landmark in both genders illustrated the sexual dimorphism of the Chinese face, and the normalized models and relative difference for each landmark also delineated the shape differences independent of size. In addition, a subject's facial deformity was evaluated by referring to the normative 3D facial models. Conclusions This study describes a new 3D analysis method for facial morphology. Three-dimensional models representing the facial shape of Chinese subjects were built, and sexual dimorphism was investigated. These would provide useful guidance for facial anthropometry and plastic surgeons in clinical practice.

A new poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) infiltrated zirconia hybrid composite (PZC) has been demonstrated to exhibit improved fracture toughness; however, its machinability remains unknown. The objective of this research is to characterize and correlate the machinability of PZC with its microstructure and mechanical properties. The results suggest that the composite exhibits an excellent machinability that is similar to that of resin composite and better than that of glasses and ceramics. This PZC hybrid composite may enable new opportunities for the use of PZC with the dental CAD/CAM technique.

This study investigated the hypothesis that cell sheets composed of multilayered rabbit bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could be assembled with two kinds of implants (surface-modified titanium and zirconia) for the construction of a MSC-implant. The MSC sheets were harvested from culture flasks, wrapped around implants to construct the complexes, and then cultured in osteogenic medium. The layered cell sheets integrated well with implants and remained viable, with small mineralized nodules visible on the implant surfaces for up to four weeks after culture. Cells on the implants underwent classical in vitro osteogenic differentiation with an associated elevation of alkaline phosphatase activity and bone- and vascular-related protein expression. In vivo, two kinds of cell sheet-implant complexes were transplanted under the skin of SCID mice and cultured for eight weeks. For the MSC sheet titanium implant complex, histological examination revealed that new bone tissue that formed around implants followed a predominantly endochondral pathway, exhibiting histological markers of native bone; for the MSC sheet zirconia implant complex, however, intramembranous ossification appeared to occur on the surface of the zirconia implant, as observed with typical osteocytes embedded in dense matrix and accompanied by both microvessels and marrow cavities. These findings demonstrate that MSC-implants possessing osteogenic and vascularization abilities can be produced using cell sheet engineering techniques in conjunction with routine implant materials, which provide a novel technology to modify the implant surface.

We describe a technique for the design and fabrication of realistic facial prostheses using three-dimensional optical imaging and computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM). A three-dimensional dataset of the facial surface of a patient who needed a facial prosthesis was obtained using a sensing system, and the three-dimensional image of the face was reconstructed. A decreased and thinned virtual prosthesis was designed based on the facial image and converted into a rapid prototyping wax prosthesis using a selective laser sintering technique. The rapid prototyping wax prosthesis was then dipped into melted base-plate wax which generated a layer of wax on the internal and external surfaces to record its size and thickness. The modified prosthesis was evaluated and refined, and processed to generate a realistic silicone prosthesis. Three-dimensional data acquisition using the sensing system and computer-assisted design and manufacture of the prosthesis allows us to see a whole face without damaging the soft tissues or causing discomfort to the patient or exposure to radiation. The final prosthesis was of satisfactory size, shape, and cosmetic appearance, matched the malformed area, and suited the patient's requirements.

Due to the pronounced oxidative nature of titanium at high temperatures, an excessively thick oxide layer may form on its surface. This oxide layer could adversely affect titanium–porcelain bonding. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of micro-arc oxidation on the titanium–porcelain bond strength which was relevant to the titanium oxide layer．Twelve cast titanium specimens were prepared following the protocol ISO 9693. The test group was treated with micro-arc oxidation and the control group was treated with sandblasting. Contact angle and surface roughness were detected. SEM, XRD, and SEM/EDS analyses were performed on the titanium surfaces to ascertain bond failure. The groups were compared for their bond strength. The results showed that: there are differences in the surface morphology and the phase components of two groups. In addition, compared with the control group, the contact angle of the MAO group is smaller, but the surface roughness is similar. In the MAO specimen, the oxide layer was thin, and it was compact bonding with titanium and porcelain. The mean bond strength of the micro-arc oxidation group and the control group were 46.46 ± 4.35 MPa and 33.28 ± 2.24 MPa, respectively. While the improvement in bond strength was 39.6% for micro-arc oxidation group, it was statistically significant for the control group. These results suggest that the micro-arc oxidation technique is significantly effective in improving the bond strength of titanium–porcelain.

In2O3 nanocubes have been generated by a two-step process, a simple solvothermal technique for In(OH)3 nanocubes and subsequent reaction with O2 to form the In2O3 nanocubes, which exhibit morphologies identical to the original In(OH)3 nanocube. The In(OH)3 nanocubes and the In2O3 nanocubes are well-crystallized single-crystal nanostructure. Under optimal conversion conditions, the final geometry features of In2O3 are predetermined by the size and morphology of the In(OH)3 nanocubes. The size of In(OH)3 nanocubes is effected by pH value of solution.

It has previously been shown that implant surface structures have a significant influence on the susceptibility of implant to bacterial adherence. Due to the potential of the rapidly increasing osseointegration market, a great variety of novel surface coating techniques have been developed worldwide within the past twenty years. However, only a few focused on the effect of the interaction between the modified implant surface structure and its susceptibility to bacteria. To evaluate the susceptibility of implant surface to bacterial adhesion with Ti-based sandblasting (Ti_SB), Ti-based microarc oxidation (Ti_MAO) and Ti-based simulated body fluid (Ti_SBF) coatings, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a major pathogen often found in the percutaneous implant-associated infections, was chosen as the model for this in vitro study. The adherence of S. aureus to the implanted surfaces was visualized and quantified. Final results indicated that S. aureus adherence to all the three Ti-based coatings was significantly higher than that to the pure Ti surfaces. They suggested that the Ti_SB, Ti_MAO, and Ti_SBF surface coatings promoted S. aureus adhesion, and could lead to higher occurrence of infection in vivo, compared to the pure Ti surface. Considering the optimized implant coatings' well-documented osseointegration together with their increased susceptibilities to bacteria, it is essential to perform further research on the selection of proper parameters for the implant surface coating techniques.

We have developed a new way of three-dimensional and functional reconstruction of unilateral large maxillary defects by multiplanar and combined distraction osteogenesis of the zygoma, maxillary alveolar process, and hard palate. In the first procedure we started the internal curvilinear distraction osteogenesis of the left zygoma in one patient who had had a left maxillectomy to rebuild midfacial bony support. In the second procedure, the internal curvilinear distraction osteogenesis of the maxillary anterior alveolar process and straight distraction osteogenesis of the right hard palate were used to restore the posterior alveolar process and left palate. In the third procedure, the distracted zygoma and alveolar process were connected by a small local bone graft. The important lost maxillary bony architecture was re-established three-dimensionally and resulted in a natural facial appearance, normal speech and swallowing, and good foundation for chewing. This may be the first example of three-dimensional and functional reconstruction of unilateral large maxillary defects that did not require bone grafts from other anatomical areas.

Novel polygonal Nb 2 O 5 platelets have been generated by a simple solvothermal technique. Then, the polygonal Nb 2 O 5 nanoflakes as a template react chemically with NH 3 and H 2 S to generate polygonal Nb 3.49 N 4.56 O 0.44 nanoflakes and the polygonal NbS 2 –Nb 2 O 5 nanoflakes. Under optimal conversion conditions, the final geometry features of polygonal Nb 3.49 N 4.56 O 0.44 nanoflakes and the polygonal NbS 2 –Nb 2 O 5 nanoflakes are predetermined by the size and morphology of the Nb 2 O 5 platelets. TEM observation has showed that the Nb 2 O 5 nanoplatelets and Nb 3.49 N 4.56 O 0.44 nanoflakes consist of well-crystallized single crystals, the polygonal NbS 2 –Nb 2 O 5 nanoflakes are composed of phases of mixed oxide and sulphide. These new polygonal plate-like nanostructures are important for understanding nanostructure processing.

Contemporary silicone-based elastomeric prostheses tend to degrade over time because of the effect of mechanical loading. Little has been reported on how the mechanical properties of a maxillofacial prosthetic elastomer may be affected by the addition of nanosized oxide particles used as an opacifier.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of nanosized oxides of various composition on the mechanical properties of a commercially available silicone elastomer.Nanosized oxides (Ti, Zn, or Ce) were added in various concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, or 3.0% by weight) to a commercial silicone elastomer (A-2186), commonly used for fabricating extraoral maxillofacial prostheses. Silicone elastomer A-2186 without nanosized oxides served as a control group. Specimens (n=5) were polymerized according to manufacturer's recommendations and tested for tensile strength (ASTM D412) and tear strength (ASTM D624), and percent elongation in a universal testing machine. Uniformity of particle dispersion within the processed elastomer was assessed using scanning electron microscopic imaging. For each property, a 2-way ANOVA was performed evaluating the effect of oxide type and strength, and Fisher's PLSD test was used for pairwise comparisons (alpha=.05).SEM examination indicated that all 3 nanosized oxides distribute evenly throughout the silicone specimens, except for the 3.0% group, which are partly agglomerated. The 2.0% and 2.5% groups of all nanosized oxides demonstrated significantly higher tensile and tear strengths and percent elongation (P.001) than the control group. CeO(2) had significantly lower tensile strength than TiO2 and ZnO (P.05). The ZnO group had significantly higher tear strength than TiO(2) and CeO(2) (P.05). Most of specimens became somewhat harder when compared with the control group. CeO(2) group had significantly higher Shore A hardness than TiO(2) and ZnO (P.001). There was no significant difference of percent elongation among the type of nanosized oxides.Incorporation of Ti, Zn, or Ce nano-oxides at concentrations of 2.0% and 2.5% improved the overall mechanical properties of the silicone A-2186 maxillofacial elastomer.

Traditionally, wax or clay sculpted patterns have been used in the development of facial prostheses. New advances in rapid prototyping technologies have demonstrated significant advantages compared to more conventional techniques for fabricating facial prostheses. The use of selective laser sintering technology described in this report is an alternative approach for fabricating a wax pattern for a partial nasal prosthesis. This new approach can generate the wax nasal pattern directly and reduce labor-intensive laboratory procedures. (J Prosthet Dent 2008;100:56-60)

This report describes the synthesis and characterization of three-dimensional (3D) Nb 2 O 5 single crystalline nanostructures and three-dimensional Nb 2 O 5 /NbS 2 cabled networks. The 3D Nb 2 O 5 /NbS 2 nanostructures are believed to result from the 3D Nb 2 O 5 single crystalline nanostructures which grow along the equivalent crystallographic directions of (1 1 0) in the orthorhombic Nb 2 O 5 . These 3D new nanostructures may be potential precursors for creating other complex 3D nanostructures.

A facile synthetic approach to 7-O-galloyl-D-sedoheptulose (1), a natural product with notable immunosuppressant activity, was developed. The starting material, 2,7-anhydro-d-sedoheptulose (2), was converted in three steps into 1,3,4,5-tetra-O-benzyl-d-sedoheptulose (5), a key intermediate that allows specific functionalization at C-7 of the sedoheptulpyranose. After regioselective esterification of 5 with 3,4,5-tri-O-benzyl galloyl acid, followed by catalytic debenzylation (Pd-C), 1 was obtained in an overall yield of 60%. The spectroscopic data and TLC behavior of 1 were found to be identical to that of the natural product.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activity enhancement of a novel glycidyl methacrylated dextran (Dex-GMA)/gelatin hybrid hydrogel containing microspheres loaded with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) as periodontal cell/tissue scaffold. Larger number of human periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) attached was observed in scaffolds containing microspheres loaded with BMP when compared to those without microspheres. When osteogenic differentiation of PDLCs in such scaffolds was evaluated, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin content, and calcium deposition became maximum for the scaffold containing microspheres loaded with BMP, as compared with those without microspheres but adsorbed with the same amount of BMP aqueous solution, although both values were significantly higher than those in BMP-free scaffold. In addition, the osteoinduction activity was also studied following the implantation of these scaffolds into the periodontal defects of dogs in terms of histological examinations, significantly more new bone formation and periodontal ligaments regeneration were observed throughout scaffold containing microspheres. We conclude that the attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of PDLCs can be enhanced by Dex-GMA/gelatin hydrogel scaffold containing microspheres loaded with BMP, and such scaffold is promising to enhance periodontal tissue regeneration in periodontal therapy.

Novel thermomechanical hydrogel scaffolds containing our previously prepared microspheres loaded with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) were successfully generated by radical crosslinking and low dose γ-irradiation from combination of two kind of biomaterials: glycidyl methacrylated dextran (Dex-GMA) and gelatin. The structure of those resulting smart hybrid hydrogels was evaluated by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses, and as a function of the degree of Dex-GMA's substitution (DS), the proportion between Dex-GMA and gelatin, and the initial polyethyleneglycol (PEG) concentration used in the preparation of the hydrogels. The swelling and degradation properties and the temperature-sensitive drug release manner were determined by dynamic evaluation methods in vitro , and the gel content was also calculated. MIP analysis showed that by systematically altering the preparation parameters, the overall networks were clearly macroporous with pore sizes ranging from 5.6 ± 4.2 to 37.7 ± 13.7 μm. As expected, the pore size decreased as DS and initial PEG concentration increased, whereas the opposite was found for the gel content. Moreover, the porosity values ranged from 73.7 ± 12.4% up to 89.6 ±6.3%. The SEM results also showed the inter-connective pores as well as microspheres encased into their porous structure of those hydrogels. The swelling and degradation properties of the resultant hydrogels varied according to the DS of Dex-GMA and initial PEG concentration, while the proportion between Dex-GMA and gelatin had no significant influence on those characterizations. By changing the composition ratio of the two precursors, the phase transition temperature (lower critical solution temperature, LSCT) of the hydrogel scaffolds could also be adjusted to be or near the body temperature, so BMP release from microsphere–hydrogel compounds could be accordingly controlled and the release period could be varied from 18 to more than 28 days. These results demonstrated that a novel temperature-sensitive and biodegradable Dex-GMA/gelatin scaffold containing microspheres loaded with BMP could be successfully developed from both dextran- and gelatin-based biomaterials, which could promisingly satisfy the need, desire, and expectation of both self-regulated drug delivery and tissue-engineering applications.

The present work focused on the design of novel hydrogel microspheres based on both dextran- and gelatin-derived biomaterials, and discussed whether locally controlled delivery of IGF-I from dextran-co-gelatin hydrogel microspheres (DG-MP) was useful for periodontal regeneration enhancement. Microspheres were synthesized when gelatin was cooperating with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) derivatized dextrans (Dex-GMA) and the resultant DG-MP with a hydrogel character of which the cross-linking density could be controlled by the degree of substitution (DS, the number of methacrylates per 100 glucopyranose residues) of Dex-GMA. In this study, three types of DG-MP (DG-MP4.7, DG-MP6.3 and DG-MP7.8) obtained from gelatin and Dex-GMA (differing in DS: 4.7, 6.3 and 7.8 respectively) were prepared and characterized by swelling and degradation properties, drug release kinetics and biological capability in promoting tissue regeneration. By swelling in aqueous positively charged IGF-I solutions, the protein could be encapsulated in DG-MP by polyionic complexation with negatively charged acidic gelatin. No obvious influence of Dex-GMA's DS on DG-MP's configuration and size was observed, and the release and degraded properties showed no significant difference between three types of DG-MP in PBS buffer either. However, high DS of Dex-GMA could lower microsphere's swelling, prolong its degraded time and minimize IGF-I burst release markedly in dextranase-containing PBS, where IGF-I release from a slow release type of microspheres (DG-MP7.8) could be maintained more than 28 days, and an effective protein release kinetics without a significant burst but a relevantly constant release after the initial burst was achieved. IGF-I in DG-MP resulted in more new bone formation in the periodontal defects within 4 or 8 weeks than IGF-I in blood clot directly did (P < 0.01). The observed newly formation of periodontal tissues including the height and percentage of new bone and new cementum on the denuded root surfaces of the furcation area in DG-MP7.8 group were more than that in other groups (P < 0.05). The adequate width of regenerative periodontal ligament (PDL), regular Sharpey's fibers and alveolar bone reconstruction could be observed only in DG-MP7.8 group. These combined results demonstrate that effective release kinetics can be realized by adjusting the DS of Dex-GMA and followed cross-linking density of DG-MP, and that locally controlled delivery of IGF-I from slow release type of DG-MP may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for periodontal tissue regeneration.

The effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, on voltage-dependent currents and synaptic transmission were investigated in cultured hippocampal neurons of rat by whole-cell patch clamp recording technique. After application with serum from LW-treated rats, termed LW-containing serum (LWCS) for 48 h, the amplitude of delay rectifying K+ current (IK) and voltage-gated Ca2+ current (ICa) decreased. While the frequency of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic current (sEPSC) and miniature excitatory post-synaptic current (mEPSC) increased significantly. Yet the amplitude of voltage-depended Na+ current (INa) and transient outward K+ current (IA), membrane capacitance and resistance remained unchanged. The results indicated that LWCS possessed the effect of modulating or improving neuronal and synaptic function, which possibly contribute to the cognition enhancing effect of LW.

Four kinds of CNTs with different morphologies were produced by chemical vapour deposition method. After oxidation with nitric acid, their specific surface area, particle size distribution and functional groups on the surfaces were characterized. Adsorption isothermal experiment shows that the CNTs with more defects, which can be easily introduced more functional groups on their surfaces prepared at 650 °C, have higher lead adsorption capability from aqueous solution and are promising adsorbents in wastewater treatment.

Thermal conductivity of gallium arsenic nitride (GaAsN) epilayer on gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate prepared by molecular beam epitaxy technique was measured using pulsed photothermal reflectance technique. Three-layer model incorporated thermal boundary resistance was applied to extract the thermal properties from the sample's photothermal response. Within the thickness ranging from 20 to 80 nm, no thickness dependent relationship with thermal conductivity of GaAsN epilayer was found, and the average thermal conductivity is approximately 27 W/mK at room temperature. The thermal boundary resistance at the Au/GaAsN interface is in the order of 10−8 m2K/W.

We describe a new osteotomy for transport of a disc of alveolar bone, which can simultaneously close an oronasal fistula with two layers of mucoperiosteum during distraction osteogenesis for reconstruction of a maxillary defect.