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Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) is a degenerative ailment that causes slow cartilage degeneration, aberrant bone remodeling, and persistent discomfort, leading to a considerable reduction in the patient's life quality. Current treatment options for TMJOA have limited efficacy. This investigation aimed to explore a potential strategy for halting or reversing the progression of TMJOA through the utilization of exosomes (EXOs) derived from urine-derived stem cells (USCs). The USC-EXOs were obtained through microfiltration and ultrafiltration techniques, followed by their characterization using particle size analysis, electron microscopy, and immunoblotting. Subsequently, an in vivo model of TMJOA induced by mechanical force was established. To assess the changes in the cartilage of TMJOA treated with USC-EXOs, we performed histology analysis using hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and histological scoring. Our findings indicate that the utilization of USC-EXOs yields substantial reductions in TMJOA, while concurrently enhancing the structural integrity and smoothness of the compromised condylar cartilage surface. Additionally, USC-EXOs exhibit inhibitory effects on osteoclastogenic activity within the subchondral bone layer of the condylar cartilage, as well as attenuated apoptosis in the rat TMJ in response to mechanical injury. In conclusion, USC-EXOs hold considerable promise as a potential therapeutic intervention for TMJOA., (© 2024 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

The maintenance of oral health is of utmost importance for an individual's holistic well-being and standard of living. Within the oral cavity, symbiotic microorganisms actively safeguard themselves against potential foreign diseases by upholding a multifaceted equilibrium. Nevertheless, the occurrence of an imbalance can give rise to a range of oral infectious ailments, such as dental caries, periodontitis, and oral candidiasis. Presently, clinical interventions encompass the physical elimination of pathogens and the administration of antibiotics to regulate bacterial and fungal infections. Given the limitations of various antimicrobial drugs frequently employed in dental practice, the rising incidence of oral inflammation, and the escalating bacterial resistance to antibiotics, it is imperative to explore alternative remedies that are dependable, efficacious, and affordable for the prevention and management of oral infectious ailments. There is an increasing interest in the creation of novel antimicrobial agents derived from natural sources, which possess attributes such as safety, cost-effectiveness, and minimal adverse effects. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of natural products on the development and progression of oral infectious diseases. Specifically, these products exert their influences by mitigating dental biofilm formation, impeding the proliferation of oral pathogens, and hindering bacterial adhesion to tooth surfaces. The review also encompasses an examination of the various classes of natural products, their antimicrobial mechanisms, and their potential therapeutic applications and limitations in the context of oral infections. The insights garnered from this review can support the promising application of natural products as viable therapeutic options for managing oral infectious diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objective To explore the potential biological functions and prognostic prediction values of non-apoptotic regulated cell death genes (NARCDs) in lung adenocarcinoma.Methods Transcriptome data of lung adenocarcinoma were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. We identified differentially expressed NARCDs between lung adenocarcinoma tissues and normal tissues with R software. NARCDs signature was constructed with univariate Cox regression analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. The prognostic predictive capacity of NARCDs signature was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve, receiver operating characteristic curve, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Functional enrichment of NARCDs signature was analyzed with gene set variation analysis, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. In addition, differences in tumor mutational burden, tumor microenvironment, tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity were analyzed between the high and low NARCDs score groups. Finally, a protein-protein interaction network of NARCDs and immune-related genes was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape software. Results We identified 34 differentially expressed NARCDs associated with the prognosis, of which 16 genes (ATIC, AURKA, CA9, ITGB4, DDIT4, CDK5R1, CAV1, RRM2, GAPDH, SRXN1, NLRC4, GLS2, ADRB2, CX3CL1, GDF15, and ADRA1A) were selected to construct a NARCDs signature. NARCDs signature was identified as an independent prognostic factor (P < 0.001). Functional analysis showed that there were significant differences in mismatch repair, p53 signaling pathway, and cell cycle between the high NARCDs score group and low NARCDs score group (all P < 0.05). The NARCDs low score group had lower tumor mutational burden, higher immune score, higher tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score, and lower drug sensitivity (all P < 0.05). In addition, the 10 hub genes (CXCL5, TLR4, JUN, IL6, CCL2, CXCL2, ILA, IFNG, IL33, and GAPDH) in protein-protein interaction network of NARCDs and immune-related genes were all immune-related genes. Conclusion The NARCDs prognostic signature based on the above 16 genes is an independent prognostic factor, which can effectively predict the clinical prognosis of patients of lung adenocarcinoma and provide help for clinical treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of five different tooth preparation designs on the marginal and internal fit discrepancies of cobalt-chromium (CoCr) crowns produced by computer-aided designing (CAD) and selective laser melting (SLM) processes., Materials and Methods: Five preparation data were constructed, after which design crowns were obtained. Actual crowns were fabricated using an SLM process. After the data of actual crowns were obtained with structural light scanning, intaglio surfaces of the design crown and actual crown were virtually superimposed on the preparation. The fit-discrepancies were displayed with colors, while the root means square was calculated and analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's test or Kruskal-Wallis test (α =.05)., Results: The marginal or internal color-coded images in the five design groups were not identical. The shoulder-lip and sharp line angle groups in the CAD or SLM process had larger marginal or internal fit discrepancies compared to other groups ( P < .05). In the CAD process, the mean marginal and internal fit discrepancies were 10.0 to 24.2 µm and 29.6 to 31.4 µm, respectively. After the CAD and SLM processes, the mean marginal and internal fit discrepancies were 18.4 to 40.9 µm and 39.1 to 47.1 µm, respectively. The SLM process itself resulted in a positive increase of the marginal (6.0 - 16.7 µm) and internal (9.0 - 15.7 µm) fit discrepancies., Conclusion: The CAD and SLM processes affected the fit of CoCr crowns and varied based on the preparation designs. Typically, the shoulder-lip and sharp line angle designs had a more significant effect on crown fit. However, the differences between the design groups were relatively small, especially when compared to fit discrepancies observed clinically., (© 2021 The Korean Academy of Prosthodontics.)

Biomimetic nanotechnology through camouflaging synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) with natural cell membranes, which bestows with immune evasion and superior targeting capacity, has been extensively used in drug delivery systems (DDS) over the last decades. These biomimetic NPs not only retain the physicochemical features of the synthetic vehicles but also inherit the cell membranes' intrinsic functionalities. Combined with these benefits, optimized nano-biomimetic DDS allow maximum delivery efficacy. Compared to erythrocyte/cancer single cell membrane, the hybrid cell membrane expressing CD47 membrane protein and self-recognition molecules, from erythrocytes and cancer cells, provides remarkable features to the synthetic vehicles, such as immune evasion, long-term circulation, and homotypic targeting. In this review, we describe the preparation strategies, the camouflaging mechanism, and the antitumor applications of hybrid cell membrane-camouflaged NPs. Moreover, we discuss further modification of the hybrid cell membrane and the surface properties of fusion cellular membranes. Finally, we summarize the primary challenges and opportunities associated with these NPs. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Camouflaging synthetic nanoparticles with hybrid cell membrane has been extensively highlighted in recent years. The resultant biomimetic nanoparticles not only reserve the physicochemical properties of the synthetic nanoparticles but also inherit the biological functions of source cells. Compared with single cell membrane, hybrid cell membrane can endow synthetic nanoparticles with multiple biofunctions derived from the original source cells. To provide a timely review of this rapidly developing subject of research, this paper summarized recent progress on the hybrid cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we focused primarily on five different types of hybrid cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles with the preparation strategies, the camouflaging mechanism, and the antitumor applications. Moreover, further modification of the hybrid cell membrane was also discussed for isolating effectively circulating tumor cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

OBJECTIVE Thrombopoietin (THPO) is well-known as a megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) involved in megakaryocyte proliferation and maturation. To explore the biological effects of THPO in gastric adenocarcinoma, we conducted this study. Methods: By accessing the TCGA database, the expression level of THPO was determined in tumor tissues. The association between THPO expression and clinical features, or prognostic significance was described by Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier. The SiRNA method was used to decline the THPO expression; then cell viability, invasion, and migration were detected to verify the effects of the knockdown of THPO. qPCR and western blotting were implemented to examine the expression level of THPO. Results: The expression of THPO was increased in tumor tissue and cells, its high-regulation was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Cell viability, invasion, and migration were suppressed in AGS with the down-regulation of THPO. Furthermore, on the basis of si-THPO transfection, E-cadherin was promoted while N-cadherin and Vimentin were attenuated. CONCLUSION Our results revealed that THPO may be a potent marker of gastric adenocarcinoma, providing a novel potential screening method for gastric adenocarcinoma.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effects of sclerostin (SOST) on the biological funtions and related mechanisms of cementoblasts under mechanical stress., Methods: OCCM-30 cells were treated with varying doses of SOST (0, 25, 50, and 100 ng·mL⁻¹) and were loaded with uniaxial compressive stress (2 000 μ strain with a frequency of 0.5 Hz) for six hours. Western blot was utilized to detect the expressions of β-catenin, p-smad1/5/8, and smad1/5/8 proteins. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was determined, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the expressions of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2), osteocalcin (OCN), bone sialoproteins (BSP), receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA., Results: The expression of p-smad
1/5/8 was significantly downregulated with increasing SOST. β-catenin and smad1/5/8 exhibited no difference. ALP activity decreased under mechanical compressive stress with increasing SOST concentrations. Runx-2 expression was reduced with increasing SOST concentrations, and a similar trend was observed for the BSP and OCN expressions. When the SOST concentration was enhanced, RANKL expression gradually increased, whereas the expression of OPG decreased., Conclusions: Under mechanical comprehensive stress, SOST can adjust the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) /smad signal pathway. Osteosclerosis inhibits the mineralization of cementoblasts under mechanical compressive stress, which may be achieved by inhibiting the expressions of osteogenesis factors (Runx2, OCN, BSP, and others) and by promoting the ratio of cementoclast-related factors (RANKL/OPG) through BMP signal pathways.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of selective laser melting (SLM), milling methods, and casting on the behavior of titanium clasp., Methods: The clasp and its die simulating the molar were designed using 3D software. Clasp specimens were fabricated using SLM approaches (SLM Ti) and computerized numerical control (CNC) milling technology (Milling CPTi). Cast clasps of the same forms were also prepared as controls using titanium alloy powder (Cast Ti) and commercial pure titanium (Cast CPTi), following the conventional casting methods. The surface roughness and accuracy of clasps were analyzed. The changes in retentive force and permanent deformation were measured up to 10,000 insertion/removal cycles. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test or Kruskal-Wallis H test were performed for data analysis and comparisons., Results: The Milling CPTi clasps had a smoother inner surface than the other groups (p<0.05). The accuracy of the inner surface showed no significant difference among the groups, whereas that of the outer surface showed significant differences (p<0.05). The SLM Ti clasp had significantly higher retentive forces than the other groups (p<0.05), but it rapidly reduced after 2000 insertion/removal cycles until the fracture of all specimens was at 4000 cycles. The Milling CPTi clasps had more permanent deformation, but the rate of reduction of retentive force was only 9.5% (at 10,000 cycles)., Conclusions: Milling has the potential to replace casting for fabricating removable partial denture (RPD) titanium clasps. However, SLM should be further improved for fabricating RPD titanium clasps before clinical application., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of Quercetin on cell cycle and adhesive molecules of NOD.SCID mice with acule B lymphocytic leuaemia(B-ALL)., Methods: 5×10 6 Nalm-6(B-ALL cell line) cells were injected into the tail vein of 48 NOD/SCID mice to establish the NOD/SCID mice with B-ALL. After 15 day, the NOD/SCID mice with B-ALL were randomly divided into 3 groups: salive group as control (injection with saline of 0.2 ml/mouse), cyclophos-phamid group (injection with cyclophosphamide of 100µg/kg) and quercetin group(injection with quercetin of 3 mg/kg). After treatment for 21 d, the perecntage of Nalm-6 cells in G1, G2, M and S phases was detected by flow cytonetry; the B lymphocytes Nalm-6 cells, neutrophils and WBC in while blood were counted before and after treatment; the expression of intercellalar. Adhesion molecole-1(FCAIU-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) and P-selectin was detected by double autibody soundwich method., Results: Compared with level before treatment, the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and P-selectin decreased after treatment with guercetin, The hemogram showed that the peripheral blood nentrophil level obviously increased, while the levels of B lymphocytes, Nalm-6 cells and WBC count decreased obviously after treatment with guercetin. The cell proliferatim rario in G0/G1 phase decreased, yet the cell proliferation ratio in S and G2/M phases increased after treatment with guercetin., Conclusion: The guercetin can decrease the intercellular adhesion through inhibition of ICAM-1 expression, and arrests Nalm-6 cells in S and G2/M phases. The guercetin has obviously inhibitory effect on B-ALL cells.

To analyze the correlation between transcutaneous oxygen pressure (P(tc)O(2)) and blood lactate in patients with septic shock. Fifty-sixpatients with septic shock were prospectively investigated. P(tc)O(2) was monitored continuously for 6 hours, and arterial blood gas was measured at baseline (T0) and 6 hours(T6). Records of P(tc)O(2),were analyzed for the correlation with lactate level and lactate clearance rate. P(tc)O(2) valuesin the high lactate clearance group and the low one were compared.The lowest value of P(tc)O(2) at T6 and duration of P(tc)O(2)<40 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) were both correlated with lactate level and lactate clearance rateat T6.The low predictive value of P(tc)O(2) was 29 mmHg of lactate clearance under 20% with a sensitivity 85.2% and a specificity 65.5%. The low predictive value of P(tc)O(2) in high lactate clearance group was significantly higher than that in low lactate clearance group, while the duration of P(tc)O(2)<40 mmHg was shorter than the latter. During 6 h continuous monitoring, patients with a significant low P(tc)O(2) or prolonged duration of low P(tc)O(2) have relatively high lactate or low lactate clearance after resuscitation.

A Au-Ag-Au multi-segmental hybrid structure has been synthesized by using an electrodeposition method based on an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane. The third-order optical nonlinearities, second harmonic generation (SHG) and photoluminescence (PL) properties containing ultrafast supercontinuum generation and plasmon mediated thermal emission have been investigated. Significant optical enhancements have been obtained near surface plasmon resonance wavelength in all the abovementioned nonlinear processes. Comparative studies between the Au-Ag-Au multi-segmental hybrid structure and the corresponding single-component Au and Ag hybrid structures demonstrate that the Au-Ag-Au multi-segmental hybrid structure has much larger optical nonlinearities than its counterparts. These results demonstrate that the Au-Ag-Au hybrid structure is a promising candidate for applications in plasmonic devices and enhancement substrates.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the changes of upper airway before and after functional correction in ClassⅡmalocclusion children with high mandibular plane angle at growth and development peak., Methods: Cone-beam CT (CBCT) data of the upper airway were inputted into Minics 17.0 software for measurement of changes in the upper airway before and after functional treatment by high headgear-activator. The changes of upper airway before and after treatment were analyzed with SPSS22.0 software package., Results: The change of the total volume of the upper airway, the volume of the velopharynx, glossopharynx, laryngopharynx; the sectional area of the tip of soft palate, roof of the epiglottis, the minimum sectional area of the oropharynx were significant (P<0.05). The upper airway morphology tended to be circular in the soft palate tip plane(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the plane of epiglottis(P>0.05)., Conclusions: High headgear-activator corrected mandibular hypoplasia in children with increased airway volume, increased ventilation, improved respiratory function to prevent occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome after adult.

Purpose: To investigate the expression of FoxO1 and Runx2 in periodontal tissue and their effect during orthodontic teeth movement(OTM) in rats., Methods: Forty 8-week old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish animal models of orthodontic teeth movement and divided into 5 groups randomly. The right side of jaws of each rat was set as experimental side, and the left side as control side. At 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 d after orthodontic treatment, the rats were sacrificed and the maxillary bone containing the first molar was dissected. H-E staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect the morphological changes, the expression of FoxO1 and Runx2 of the periodontal tissue at different points. Computer image analysis was used to evaluate the expression of FoxO1 and Runx2 in the periodontal tissues of the rats. The differences were analyzed by using SPSS19.0 software package., Results: The expression of FoxO1 in periodontal ligament was mainly in osteoblasts and cementoblasts; and the expression of Runx2 was mainly in osteoblasts, fibroblasts and cementoblasts. In the experimental group,the expressions of FoxO1 and Runx2 in the periodontal tissues of rats increased significantly, reached the peak within 3-5 days, then decreased. There was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group at 14th day (P>0.05), but significant difference was found between other group and control group (P<0.05)., Conclusions: FoxO1 and Runx2 play a role in the reconstruction of periodontal tissue during orthodontic movement of teeth, and they are mainly involved in the process of osteoblast formation and bone formation.

Purpose: Three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) was used to explore the mechanical effect of the upper molar with different root control attachment in plastic aligner-based orthodontic technology., Methods: A three-dimensional(3D) finite element model was derived from a cone-beam CT(CBCT) scan data and then built in the software of Mimics, Geomagic, Solidworks and Ansys. A model with an upper left first molar and its periodontal apparatus, different types of light-cured composite attachments and thermoformed plastic aligners were constructed. Four models were constructed: model A without composite attachments, model B with vertical rectangular attachment, model C with one optimized semiterete attachment, model D with two optimized semiterete attachments. Four FE models were used to analyze the effects of initial force system and displacement pattern of the molar in plastic aligner-mediated simulating mesial movement with different attachments. The initial tooth displacement, tension-compression pattern at the PDL and Von Mises stress in mesial alveolar fossa of different FE models were compared., Results: In model D with two optmisied semiterete attachments, the compression stress of mesial periodontal ligament and the stress of mesial alveolar fossa were most widely distributed. The rotation axis was closest to the apical foramen, the root control effect of the molar was the best. In model B with buccal vertical rectangular, the compression stress of mesial periodontal ligament closer to buccal side was obviously wider than that of the palate. The rotation center of the buccal side was obviously near the apical foramen than the palatal side. The effect of buccal root control was better than that of palatal side. In model C with one semiterete optimized attachment, the stress pattern of the periodontal ligament in the mesial surface and the displacement patterns were not significantly different from those of model A with no attachments, but the maximum displacement of model C was greater than that of model A., Conclusions: The addition of attachments increased the molar's movement efficiency. Two semiterete optimized attachments on the buccal side had the best root control effect during mesial movement of the molar, but all attachments achieved tipping movement of the molar.

α -FeOOH was prepared by a symmetrical precipitation method and characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, BET, and EDS techniques. The oxalate enhanced experiment for the catalytic activity of α -FeOOH during the degradation of Orange Ⅱ by the heterogeneous UV-Fenton process was evaluated. The results showed that the rate of Orange Ⅱ degradation in this heterogeneous UV-Fenton system could increase significantly with oxalate as an enhancing reagent, with the peak values of enhanced efficiency reaching 116.9% when the concentration of additional oxalate was 0.4 mmol·L -1 . Under this condition, more than 99% of Orange Ⅱ (0.2 mmol·L -1 ) was degraded in 15 min. However, under the same condition, the inhibition ratios of malonate, acetate, EDTA and citrate were 5.2%, 8.1%, 23.2%, and 25.7%, respectively. Compared with the basic system, the enhanced efficiency of the mineralization rate constant can reach 69.9% when the concentration of additional oxalate was 0.4 mmol·L -1 . As a result, the time required for mineralization could be reduced greatly. In the heterogeneous UV-Fenton system, the additional oxalate could provide a new photo-reduction pathway for Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ , enhancing the ratio of the homogeneous UV-Fenton process by increasing the Fe leaching of α -FeOOH and the concentration of hydroxyl radicals, leading to higher degradation efficiency of Orange Ⅱ. As a result, an enhancement effect of 101.5% could be obtained even after three cycles. The iron ions leached from catalysts could be re-adsorbed after treatment, avoiding the loss of active species from catalysts and additional pollution caused by iron ions. The results indicated that additional oxalate was a stable and reliable enhancing reagent on the catalytic activity of α -FeOOH in the heterogeneous UV-Fenton system.

Purpose: The study aimed to identify the accuracy and reproducibility of preparations made by gypsum materials of various colors using quantitative and semi-quantitative three-dimensional (3D) approach., Materials and Methods: A titanium maxillary first molar preparation was created as reference dataset (REF). Silicone impressions were duplicated from REF and randomized into 6 groups (n=8). Gypsum preparations were formed and grouped according to the color of gypsum materials, and light-scanned to obtain prepared datasets (PRE). Then, in terms of accuracy, PRE were superimposed on REF using the best-fit-algorithm and PRE underwent intragroup pairwise best-fit alignment for assessing reproducibility. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) and degrees of similarity (DS) were computed and analyzed with SPSS 20.0 statistical software (α=.05)., Results: In terms of accuracy, PREs in 3D directions were increased in the 6 color groups (from 19.38 to 20.88 µm), of which the marginal and internal variations ranged 51.36 - 58.26 µm and 18.33 - 20.04 µm, respectively. On the other hand, RMSD value and DS-scores did not show significant differences among groups. Regarding reproducibility, both RMSD and DS-scores showed statistically significant differences among groups, while RMSD values of the 6 color groups were less than 5 µm, of which blue color group was the smallest (3.27 ± 0.24 µm) and white color group was the largest (4.24 ± 0.36 µm). These results were consistent with the DS data., Conclusion: The 3D volume of the PREs was predisposed towards an increase during digitalization, which was unaffected by gypsum color. Furthermore, the reproducibility of digitalizing scanning differed negligibly among different gypsum colors, especially in comparison to clinically observed discrepancies.

It is important to isolate potential candidates from the local isolates of nematophagous fungi and to investigate interaction between the fungal strains and gastrointestinal nematodes for the biological control of parasitic nematodes in livestock. In the present study, we assessed the in vitro predatory activity and the viability of isolates of Arthrobotrys thaumasia ( Monacrosporium thaumasium) after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of sheep. The predatory process of a representative isolate selected against the larvae of trichostrongylids was prepared with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In vitro experiments tested the ability of 9 native isolates of A. thaumasia to prey on larvae of feces of sheep infected with natural mixed nematodes ( Haemonchus contortus, Trichostongylus colubriformis, Marshallagia mongolica). These isolates of A. thaumasia decreased infectivity of third stage infective larvae (L3) by 75.54-99.97%; 7 isolates decreased infectivity by more than 90%. In vivo experiments also demonstrated significant reductions of L3 numbers in the feces treated with the 9 isolates after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of sheep, and these decreases ranged from 51.68 to 88.16%. The isolates tested were re-isolated in 5-g sub-samples of feces from sheep in each treatment group, indicating that these isolates had the capacity to prey upon larvae of trichostrongylids after the passage through gastrointestinal tract. SEM shows that at 6 hr after the larvae were added, including the second stage larvae (L2) and L3 of trichostrongylids, the isolate NBS 005 caught them; at 8 hr after being caught L2 was penetrated by the fungus while penetration of L3 occurred at 12 hr; at 78 hr post-capture L2 was completely destroyed by the fungus while complete digestion of L3 occurred at 84 hr.

Purpose: To study the effect of enamel matrix derivative(EMD) on root repair and tooth movement relapse after orthodontic tooth movement in rats., Methods: Twenty 10-weeks old male rats were divided into experimental and control group randomly (n=10). 100 g force was exerted to the left maxillary first molars for 14 days and then removed. EMD was injected in rats in the experimental group since appliance was removed. The control group received no injection. Micro-CT was taken to analyze the changes of root resorption volume and distance of tooth movement. The differences were analyzed by SPSS19.0 software package., Results: Fourteen days after device removal, the repair volume of root resorption lacunae in the experimental group and the control group were (0.0295±0.0052)×10 7 μm 3 ，(0.0189±0.0086)×10 7 μm 3 , respectively. The relapse distance and relapse percentage after tooth movement were (0.089±0.005) mm, (64.76±3.63)%, (0.127±0.010) mm and (92.28±1.90)%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed the repair volume of root resorption lacunae, the relapse distance and relapse percentage were statistically significant 14 days after device removal (P<0.05)., Conclusions: EMD can enhance the effect of root repair and decrease early relapse after orthodontic tooth movement in a certain extent.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference to arteriovenous oxygen content difference ratio (Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio) combined with lactate in patients with septic shock during the early phases of resuscitation., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted for 104 septic shock patients. All patients received an initial fluid resuscitation according to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock, 2012(SSC2012). Patients were classified into four groups according to lactate levels and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio at 6 h of resuscitation: group A, lactate≥2.0 mmol/L and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2>1.0; group B, lactate≥2.0 mmol/L and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2≤1.0; group C, lactate<2.0 mmol/L and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2>1.0; group D, lactate<2.0 mmol/L and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2≤1.0. The hemodynamic parameters and oxygen metabolism parameters were recorded at baseline and 6 h after fluid resuscitation. Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at day 1, day 3 were calculated. The 28-day mortality rate was recorded., Results: (1) Group A had the highest SOFA score at day 3 and group D the lowest, which were respectively 10.8±3.3, 6.7±3.6, 5.6±3.1, 4.1±2.2 in four groups. Accordingly, the 28-day mortality rate of group A was the highest and group D the lowest, which were respectively 83.3%, 59.1%, 60.0%, 14.3% in four groups. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). (2) The Cox regression analysis of 28 d mortality revealed that lactate levels (RR=4.306, 95%CI 1.979-9.369) and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio (RR=2.888, 95%CI 1.676-4.976) at T6 were independent predictors to 28-day mortality. (3) The AUCROC of Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio combined with lactate [0.910(95%CI 0.857-0.963)] was significantly greater than the AUCROC of wither lactate [0.762(95%CI 0.673-0.852), Z=2.775; P=0.006) or Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio [0.781(95%CI 0.693-0.868), Z=2.458; P=0.014) alone., Conclusion: Combination of Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 ratio and lactate level at early stage of resuscitation in patients with septic shock is better than single parameter to predict the prognosis.

Objective: To investigate the influence of left ventricular-arterial coupling(VAC) on clinical prognosis of elderly patients with septic shock., Methods: A total of 56 elderly septic shock patients were enrolled in this study, all of whom were admitted to Department of Intensive Care Unit in Zhejiang Hospital from August 2014 to October 2015.The patients were divided into two groups according to the status of left ventricular-arterial coupling when septic shock was diagnosed, which were left ventricular-arterial uncoupling group(UC group) and left ventricular-arterial coupling group(C group). Various parameters were recorded, including blood lactate level, central venous oxygen saturation(ScvO2), serum level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin Ⅰ(cTNⅠ), dose of vasoactive drugs, the total fluid volume and urine volume per hour within 24 hours. The 28-day survival rate was a key index of prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression was taken to analyze risk factors related to death within 28 day., Results: Compared with C group, UC group had lower values of left ventricular ejection fraction[(42.43±4.76)% vs (53.17±3.01)%; P<0.01] and cardiac index[(2.36±0.68) L·min(-1)·m(-2) vs (2.93±0.45)L·min(-1)·m(-2); P<0.01]. Yet serum levels of NT-proBNP[lg NT-proBNP 3.93±0.53 vs 3.40±0.63; P=0.004] and cTNⅠ [lg cTNⅠ-0.16±0.68 vs-1.03±0.69; P<0.001] in UC group were higher than those in C group. Moreover, the total fluid volume within 24 hours [(3 806.3±831.4) ml vs (3 142.0±770.0) ml; P=0.016], blood lactate level[(5.61±2.68) mmol/L vs (3.93±1.59) mmol/L; P=0.043] and dose of norepinephrine[(0.630±0.300)μg·kg(-1)·min(-1) vs (0.292±0.234)μg·kg(-1)·min(-1;) P=0.001] in UC group were greater than those in C group, while ScvO2[(60.75±2.91)% vs (64.42±2.19)%; P<0.001] and urine volume per hour[(0.518±0.358)ml vs (0.926±0.678)ml; P=0.007] were less than those in C group. Compared with C group, UC group had a lower 28-day survival rate[43.2%(19/44) vs 9/12; P=0.049]. Ea/Ees ratio was negatively correlated with LVEF, ScvO2(r=-0.686, P<0.001; r=-0.411, P=0.002), positively correlated with NT-proBNP, cTNⅠ(r=0.294, P=0.028; r=0.363, P=0.006), yet no obvious correlation was noticed with blood lactate level(r=0.170, P=0.21). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that VAC(OR=11.187, 95%CI 2.489-50.285; P=0.002), lactate level (OR=1.727, 95%CI 1.164-2.563; P=0.007) and lg cTNⅠ(OR=0.247, 95%CI 0.079-0.779; P=0.017) were independent risk factors affecting 28-day mortality. Conclutions: In elderly patients with septic shock, left ventricular-arterial uncoupling indicates a lower 28-day survival rate, worse cardiac function and tissue perfusion. Ea/Ees ratio might sever as a predictive indicator of 28-day mortality.

Background: The nutritional support is one of the important therapeutic strategies for the elderly patients with severe sepsis, but there is controversial in choosing a parenteral nutrition formulation. This study was designed to compare the therapeutic effects of structured lipid emulsion, physically mixed medium, and long-chain fat emulsion in the treatment of severe sepsis in elderly patients., Methods: A total number of 64 elder patients with severe sepsis were enrolled in the study. After a week of enteral nutritional support, the patients were randomly divided into research (structured lipid emulsion as parenteral alimentation) and control groups (physically mixed medium and long-chain fat emulsion as parenteral alimentation). The alterations of plasma albumin, lipid metabolism, and blood glucose level were recorded after parenteral alimentation and were compared between the two groups., Results: The plasma levels of albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, and triglyceride were decreased in all the patients after one week of enteral nutritional support treatment (t = 7.78, P = 0.000; t = 10.21, P = 0.000; t = 7.99, P = 0.000; and t = 10.99, P = 0.000). Further parenteral alimentation with different lipid emulsions had significant effects on the serum prealbumin and albumin (t = 3.316, P = 0.002; t = 3.200, P = 0.002), whilst had no effects on the blood glucose and triglyceride level (t = 7.78, P = 0.000; t = 4.228, P = 0.000). In addition, the two groups had a significantly different Apache II score, ventilator time, and hospital stay time (t = -2.213, P = 0.031; t = 2.317, P = 0.024; t = 2.514, P = 0.015)., Conclusions: The structured lipid emulsion was safe as parenteral nutrition for elderly patients with severe sepsis. It was demonstrated to be superior to the physically mixed medium and long-chain fat emulsion with respect to the protein synthesis and prognosis.

Background: Recent studies demonstrated that the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO(2)) slope more powerfully predicted mortality, hospitalization, or both than peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)) in systolic heart failure. However, the prognostic values of these two parameters in diastolic heart failure remained unclear., Methods: The patients with diastolic heart failure were recruited from April 2006 to May 2007, and underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Plasma BNP concentration was measured using Triage BNP immunoassay method., Results: Of the 224 patients enrolled, mean values for age and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class were 68.8 ± 9.0 years and 2.38 ± 0.53, respectively. During the mean follow-up of 30 months, 57 patients died (36 from cardiovascular death). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, NYHA class, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, peak VO(2), VE/VCO(2) slope, and plasma BNP were significantly associated with mortality. Multivariate analysis revealed that plasma BNP, VE/VCO(2) slope, and age remained independent predictors for cardiovascular and all-cause mortalities, with the strongest prognostic power of plasma BNP (χ(2) ≥ 31.4, P < 0.001). In addition to plasma BNP and clinical predictors, the VE/VCO(2) slope could provide independent and incremental prognostic value of cardiovascular (χ(2) = 60.6 vs 51.7; P = 0.009) and all-cause mortalities (χ(2) = 62.8 vs 54.2; P = 0.015) with increased χ(2) value of Cox regression model., Conclusion: In diastolic heart failure, plasma BNP is the strongest predictor of mortality, and VE/VCO(2) slope provides independent and additive prognostic information, which suggests that combination of plasma BNP and VE/VCO(2) slope can improve risk stratification., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Myocardial apoptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis-related myocardial depression. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. This study investigated the role of mitochondrial damage and mitochondria-induced oxidative stress during cardiac apoptosis in septic rats., Methods: Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group and septic group receiving lipopolysaccharide injection. Heart tissue was removed and changes in cardiac morphology were observed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In situ apoptosis was examined using terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay and nuclear factor-kappa B activation in myocardium by Western blotting to estimate myocardial apoptosis. Appearance of mitochondrial cristae and activation of cytochrome C oxidase were used to evaluate mitochondrial damage. Oxidative stress was assessed by mitochondrial lipid and protein oxidation, and antioxidant defense was assessed by mitochondrial superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity., Results: Sepsis-induced inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardium degeneration and dropsy were time-dependent. Expanded capillaries were observed in the hearts of infected rats 24 hours post-challenge. Compared with sham-treated rats, the percentage of cell apoptosis increased in a time-dependent manner in hearts from septic rats at 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours post-injection (P < 0.05). The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 decreased gradually in the cytosol and increased in the nucleus during sepsis, indicating that septic challenge provoked the progressive activation of nuclear factor-kappa B. Mitochondrial cristae and activation of cytochrome C oxidase increased in a time-dependent manner. Both superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities decreased, while mitochondrial lipid and protein oxidation increased between 6 and 24 hours after lipopolysaccharide challenge., Conclusions: Septic challenge induced myocardial apoptosis and mitochondrial damage. Furthermore, mitochondrial damage via alteration of defenses against reactive oxygen species might play an important role in myocardial apoptosis during sepsis.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the value of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (hFABP) as a novel clinical biomarker in patients with severe sepsis., Methods: Serum concentrations of hFABP and traditional cardiac biomarkers including cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase-MB, and B-type natriuretic peptides levels were measured within 6 hours after admission in 93 severe septic patients. The value of hFABP for the diagnosis of sepsis-related myocardial dysfunction (SRMD) and for the prediction of 28-day mortality was evaluated by receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. The prognostic value of elevated hFABP was subsequently confirmed by multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis., Results: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein was elevated (≥ 4.5 ng/mL) in 58 (62.4%) patients; patients with elevated hFABP appeared more likely to have SRMD (84.5% vs 31.4%, P < .001) and have higher prevalence of 28-day death (37.9% vs 8.6%, P = .002). Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein offered superior value over conventional biomarkers in both diagnosis of SRMD (area under the curve, 0.767; P < .001) and prediction of 28-day death (area under the curve, 0.805; P < .001)., Conclusions: Serum hFABP is frequently elevated among patients with severe sepsis and appears to be associated with SRMD. Elevated hFABP independently predicts 28-day mortality in severe sepsis., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate stroke volume variation (SVV) as a predictor of fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated (MV) elderly patients with severe sepsis., Methods: A prospective observation of 31 fluid challenges during fluid resuscitation for treatment of hemodynamic instability in 17 elderly MV patients with severe sepsis was conducted. SVV was measured by pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) system. Fluid responsiveness was defined as the changes in cardiac index (CI) increase after fluid loading (DeltaCI) > or =10%. The changes in hemodynamic parameters and lung water index were observed at the onset of and after fluid therapy. The correlation between DeltaCI and SVV or central venous pressure (CVP) were analyzed., Results: SVV was decreased significantly after fluid loading [(6.6+/-2.1)% vs.(12.1+/-3.7)%, P<0.01], whereas CVP increased significantly [(12.5+/-3.6) mm Hg vs. (8.9+/-4.1) mm Hg, 1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa, P<0.01]. DeltaCI in response to fluid loading were positively correlated to initial values of SVV (r=0.447, P=0.012), but there was no relationship between CVP and DeltaCI (r=-0.082, P=0.674). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) for SVV was 0.672 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) 0.463-0.885] and CVP was 0.336 (95%CI 0.133-0.539), respectively. A SVV value of 11.5% had the sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 67% for prediction of fluid responsiveness., Conclusion: Functional hemodynamic parameter SVV can predict fluid responsiveness in elderly MV patients with severe sepsis during fluid resuscitation, it may serve as a useful index for guiding fluid therapy in elderly patients with severe sepsis.

Objective: To evaluate the impacts of glutamine (Gln) and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) intensified nutrition support on critically ill elderly patients., Methods: Ninety critically ill aged patients were included in a prospective, randomized and controlled clinical study, and randomly divided into three groups: group A (standard nutrition support), group B (standard nutrition support+10% Gln 100 ml/d), group C (standard nutrition support+ Gln 100 ml/d+rhGH 10 U/d). Before treatment and then 7 and 14 days after treatment, blood samples were collected for analysis of serum proteins including albumin (ALB), pre-albumin (PAB), C-reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulin G (IgG). Meanwhile, the variables including T-cell subsets, CD14 human leukocyte antigen (locus) DR (CD14 HLA-DR), and total lymphocytes were measured. The changes in acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) scores, the durations of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and mechanical ventilation, and 28-day survival rate were recorded., Results: Comparing with group A and B, the levels of serum ALB, PAB and IgG were significantly elevated in group C. The T-cell subsets, CD14 HLA-DR and the number of total lymphocytes were markedly higher in group C (P<0.01), and the APACHE II and MODS scores were decreased significantly in group C (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The levels of serum CRP were lowered significantly in group C (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the durations of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation and 28-day survival rate among three groups (all P>0.05)., Conclusion: Gln and rhGH intensified nutrition support can improve nutritional condition and immune function, downregulate the inflammatory response in the critically ill elderly patients.

Objective: To investigate the condensability of mandibular length., Methods: In six goats were used in the study. Corticotomy at right mandibular angles was performed via extral-oral accession. Special devices were applied to shorten the mandible by 0.5 mm per three days respectively., Results: 1. Mandibular angles of the six goats were shorten by 0.8 cm to 1.3 cm respectively in 48 days to 78 days; 2. In spite of the lower ascending ramus moving forward and angles being blunt, the occlusion scarcely varied because of contralateral bite-lock; 3. X-ray demonstrated that, at first, bone density in contracted areas declined, and then increased gradually to almost normal density; 4. Under microscope there were three tissues layers from central to lateral within the bone gap: fiber layer, cartilage layer and bone layer, and fiber layer gradually transform into cartilage layer with the fixed time. At the end of fixation they all transform into bone tissue., Conclusion: Contraction osteogenesis is actually a process of compression, absorption and rebuilding. It is feasible that using contraction osteogenesis to shorten the mandible via cortcotomy.