Nanoparticles in orthodontics,a review of antimicrobial and anti-caries applications

Nanoparticles (NPs) are insoluble particles smaller than 100 nm in size. In order to prevent microbial adhesion or enamel demineralization in orthodontic therapy, two broad strategies have been used. These are incorporating certain NPs into orthodontic adhesives/cements or acrylic resins (nanofillers, silver, TiO₂, SiO₂, hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, fluorohydroxyapatite) and coating surfaces of orthodontic appliances with NPs (i.e. coating bracket surfaces with a thin film of nitrogen-doped TiO₂). Although the use of NPs in orthodontics can offer new possibilities, previous studies investigated the antimicrobial or physical characteristic over a short time span, i.e. 24 hours to a few weeks, and the limitations of in vitro studies should be recognized. Information on the long-term performance of orthodontic material using nanotechnology is lacking and necessitates further investigation and so do possible safety issues (toxicity), which can be related to the NP sizes.     

Stressors experienced by the family members of brain-dead people during the process of organ donation: A qualitative study

Abstract

More is known about organ donor recipients than donor families. We explored the stressors experienced by family members of brain-dead people during the process of organ donation. Seventeen family members and five organ procurers were interviewed and the data analyzed through conventional qualitative content analysis. Stressors experienced by family members fell into six themes—perceived threat of loss, decision making under conflict, painful corrosive farewell, feeling of insecurity, complexity of grief, and seeking relief. Findings highlight the necessity of developing and using standard protocols for supporting brain-dead people’s family members throughout the process of organ donation and following bereavement.     

Contribution of Fc fragment of monoclonal antibodies to tetanus toxin neutralization

Neurotoxicity Research - Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani are considered as a novel source of immunoglobulins for passive immunotherapy of tetanus. Toxin...     

Oxidative stress parameters and keap 1 variants in T2DM: Association with T2DM,diabetic neuropathy,diabetic retinopathy,and obesity

IntroductionChronic hyperglycemia activates the inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress mechanisms with consequent damage to nerve tissue and retina. The Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway acts as one of the most important antioxidant pathways of the organism. Variants of Keap1 could affect susceptibility to diabetes and its complications.MethodsIn a case‐control study, 400 individuals included type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients without complication, with neuropathy, with retinopathy, and healthy individuals were investigated. The levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured using chemical methods. Using the PCR‐RFLP method, the Keap1 (rs11085735) variants were identified.ResultsNeuropathic patients had significantly lower levels of GSH, GPx, and TAC and higher levels of total oxidative status (TOS), MDA, and oxidative stress index (OSI) compared to T2DM patients without complication and controls. Lower levels of GSH and GPx and a higher level of MDA were observed in patients with retinopathy compared with controls. Obesity was associated with significantly lower GPx activity and higher TOS. A significantly higher Keap1 AA genotype was found in patients with neuropathy than T2DM without complication and controls. The presence of Keap1 AA genotype correlated with lower GPx activity compared to CC genotype.ConclusionsOur study suggests the role of reduced antioxidant system and Keap1 variants in the pathogenesis of T2DM and its complications of neuropathy and retinopathy and also obesity in enhanced oxidative stress. Monitoring oxidative stress parameters in diabetic patients, especially those with complication and their treatment with antioxidants is suggested.     

胰腺癌组织VEGF和MVD表达与CT灌注成像的关系

血管内皮生长因子作为肿瘤血管生成的一种主要调控因子,与微血管密度密切相关．胰腺癌组织的血管内皮生长因子和微血管密度的测定对于判断患者的预后,指导临床治疗和判断疗效等具有重要作用．CT灌注成像可以通过无创伤检查反映胰腺癌的肿瘤血管构成, 在治疗前后提供有价值依据,对胰腺癌的诊治有重要意义．     

冻存复苏条件对髓性白血病细胞株生物学特性的影响

目的:采用不同方法对白血病HL60细胞株进行冻存和复苏,观察生物学特性改变,筛选最佳冻存复苏方案。方法:实验于2006-04/06在吉林医药学院临床检验实验室(国家三级标准)进行。①HL60细胞株由中国科学院上海生物细胞研究所提供。将欲冷冻保存的HL60细胞调整到良好的生长状态(对数生长期),随机数字表法分成4组,离心收集后在含体积分数为0.1小牛血清的RPMI-1640培养基中分别加入二甲基亚砜,使其终浓度依次为50,100,150,200g/L。冻存15d后,每组取1支冻存管复苏并接种于细胞培养板,培养12h后用锥虫蓝拒染法计算细胞复苏率。②选择冻存条件和冻存细胞密度相同的两支冻存管,按不同方法进行HL60细胞复苏。37℃水浴传统复苏法:立即将冻存管置于37℃水浴中,待融化后800r/min离心5min,吸去上清液,加入含体积分数为0.1小牛血清的RPMI-1640培养基,混匀后接种于细胞培养板,1mL/孔,9孔/组,置于体积分数为0.05的CO2培养箱37℃继续培养。40℃溶解后再37℃恒温改良复苏法:将冻存细胞于40℃水浴中迅速溶解,转入37℃水浴箱,融化后离心、加培养基等操作同传统复苏法。复苏细胞培养12h后采用锥虫蓝染色计算细胞存活率。③用无血清RPMI-1640培养基制备HL60细胞悬液,按3×107L-1密度接种于细胞培养板中,1mL/孔,然后分别加入体积分数为0.05,0.1,0.12,0.15,0.2的灭活小牛血清,每种血清浓度设置8个试验孔,并分别于培养12,24,36,48,60,72,84,96h后计数每孔细胞数量,并绘制细胞生长曲线。结果:①不同浓度二甲基亚砜冻存后HL60细胞复苏率的比较:二甲基亚砜200g/L组的细胞复苏率明显低于二甲基亚砜50,100,150g/L组[(64.6±2.8)%,(87.0±1.4)%,(86.4±2.1)%,(85.7±2.8)%;t=25.44,P<0.01],二甲基亚砜50,100,150g/L组间差异无显著性意义(t=0.82～1.44,P>0.05)。②不同复苏方法HL60细胞存活率的比较:与37℃水浴传统复苏法比较,40℃溶解后再37℃恒温改良复苏法的细胞存活率显著升高[(69.5±1.5)%,(87.4±1.8)%,t=23.24,P<0.01]。③RPMI-1640培养基不同血清含量对HL60细胞生长情况的影响:在体积分数为0.05的血清含量培养基中,HL60细胞基本不生长,且有逐渐死亡的趋势;在体积分数为0.1的血清含量培养基中,HL60细胞生长趋势明显,但生长速度相对较慢;在体积分数为0.12,0.15,0.2的血清含量培养基中,HL60细胞生长迅速,3种血清浓度间细胞生长趋势无明显差异。结论:以50g/L二甲基亚砜作为HL60细胞冻存保护剂、联合40℃溶解后再37℃恒温改良复苏法可使细胞保持最佳生物学特性,体积分数为0.12的血清含量为HL60细胞常规培养的最适浓度。     

免疫磁珠分选骨髓衍生肝干细胞亚群c-Kit+lin-

目的:利用免疫磁性细胞分选系统分离纯化骨髓衍生肝干细胞亚群c-Kit lin-。方法:实验于2006-07/08在南方医科大学实验动物中心完成。6～8周龄的SPF级纯系BALB/C雄性小鼠10只,体质量18～20g。收集小鼠股骨骨髓细胞,利用免疫磁性细胞分选系统,通过两步法分选纯化c-Kit lin-:将获取的lin-细胞悬液8℃条件下1500r/min离心10min,弃上清,按80μL/107加入Buffer重悬细胞。按20μL/107加生物素抗体磁珠,混匀,4℃冰箱孵育15min,按1mL/107加入Buffer洗细胞1次,8℃条件下1500r/min离心10min,弃上清,按500μL/108加入Buffer重悬细胞。Buffer500μL润MS柱,悬液过柱后,Buffer500μL/次洗柱3次,柱子脱离磁场,加1mLBuffer,用配套柱塞推出柱中的c-Kit lin-细胞,收集到c-kit lin-细胞,细胞计数。取2.0×106个细胞分成10等份,流式细胞仪分析c-Kit lin-细胞纯度,计算回收率,评估纯化效率,苔盼兰染色检测纯化前后的细胞活力。计算活细胞的百分率。细胞纯度和细胞回收率的计算:细胞纯度=分离产物中的阳性细胞数/分离细胞的总细胞数×100%,细胞回收率=分离产物中的阳性细胞数/起始标本阳性细胞总数×100%。结果:10只小鼠均进入结果分析。利用免疫磁性细胞分选系统分选出的骨髓衍生肝干细胞亚群c-Kit lin-细胞纯度和回收率分别为(77.98±2.34)%,75.40%,纯化前后细胞活力不受影响。结论:免疫磁性细胞分选系统能有效分选骨髓衍生肝干细胞亚群c-Kit lin-,纯度和回收率高,且不影响细胞活力。     

Ontogenesis of quisqualate-associated phosphoinositide metabolism in various regions of the rat nervous system

The effect of postnatal age on phosphoinositide metabolism per se and on quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism was characterized in synaptoneurosomes prepared from nine different regions of the rat nervous system, namely the brainstem, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, colliculi, hippocampus, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, spinal cord and striatum. In the hippocampus, striatum, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brainstem, colliculus and spinal cord, the basal levels of inositol phosphate (inositol-1-phosphate+inositol-4,5-bisphosphate) formation were maximal two days after birth and declined steeply to steady-state levels from the age of 10 postnatal days. Similarly, in the olfactory bulb, basal inositol phosphate synthesis did not significantly change when measured during the period from postnatal day 10 to 42. The extent of [³H]-inositol labelling of phosphoinositides as a function of age presented similar profiles when measured in hippocampal, striatal, cerebellar and cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes, i.e. maximal at perinatal ages and minimal at adult ages. In the hypothalamus, [³H]-inositol labelling of phosphoinositides showed an increase from postnatal day 12 to higher levels from postnatal days 14 to 18 subsequently followed by a dramatic increase from postnatal day 21 to 42. A similar developmental trend was also obtained for basal inositol phosphate synthesis.On the whole, four types of developmental profiles for quisqualate-stimulated inositol phosphate formation (expressed as the percentage of the basal level and as the difference between stimulated and basal levels of radioactive inositol phosphates) were obtained depending on the nervous system region studied. In the early, prenatally developed nervous system regions, namely the brainstem and the spinal cord, no postnatal stimulation peaks of quisqualate-induced inositol phosphate formation were recorded. This was also the case for the colliculi when the stimulation of IP formation was expressed as the difference in basal and stimulated levels of inositol phosphates. Secondly, in the olfactory bulb a region known to possess a continuous capacity for developmental plasticity both structurally and functionally during the first three weeks of postnatal development, a simultaneous sustained high level of quisqualate stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism (fluctuating around 200% of the basal level) during the early postnatal period was evident. Thirdly, in regions of the central nervous system like the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus and the striatum known to undergo intense developmental activity during the first two postnatal weeks, peaks of quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism were initially detected around the first week after birth in each of these brain areas. Finally, in the hypothalamus where structurally unique postnatal developmental processes are known to take place, quisqualate-induced inositol phosphate formation progressively increases with age to reach maxima at postnatal day 18. The transient increases in quisqualate responses in the cerebellum, hippocampus and striatum are probably specific to quisqualate since carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism yielded different age-associated response patterns. Similar increases of carbachol- and quisqualate-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis were on the other hand assayed in cerebral cortical and hypothalamic synaptoneurosomes. EC₅₀, values for quisqualate (the quisqualate concentration required to produce 50% of the maximal effect) at postnatal days 6 and 10 were not significantly different in each of four types of synaptoneurosomes: cerebellar, cerebral cortical, hippocampal and striatal. On the basis of these latter results, it was deduced that the peak of quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism does not materialize on the basis of changes in quisqualate metabotropic receptor affinity. In conclusion, the measurement of inositol phosphate formation in synaptoneurosomes prepared from different regions of the postnatally developing nervous system indicate that there is a temporal correlation between the increased activity of quisqualate-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism mediated by specific metabotropic glutamate receptors and region-specific developmental events. This could suggest a key role for certain metabotropic glutamate receptors in the developmental plasticity of the nervous system.