Multicenter effect analysis of one-step acellular dermis combined with autologous ultra-thin split thickness skin composite transplantation in treating burn and traumatic wounds.

To evaluate the efficacy of one-step acellular dermis combined with autologous split thickness skin grafting in the treatment of burn or trauma wounds by a multicenter controlled study. In patients with extensive burns, it is even difficult to repair the wounds due to the shortage of autologous skin. The traditional skin grafting method has the disadvantages of large damage to the donor site, insufficient skin source and unsatisfactory appearance, wear resistance and elasticity of the wound tissue after skin grafting. One-step acellular dermis combined with autologous ultra-thin split thickness skin graft can achieve better healing effect in the treatment of burn and trauma wounds. A total of 1208 patients who underwent single-layer skin grafting and one-step composite skin grafting in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhan Third People's Hospital and Lu 'an People's Hospital from 2019 to 2022 were retrospectively analysed. The total hospitalization cost, total operation cost, hospitalization days after surgery, wound healing rate after 1 week of skin grafting and scar follow-up at 6 months after discharge were compared and studied. The total cost of hospitalization and operation in the composite skin grafting group was significantly higher than those in the single-layer autologous skin grafting group. The wound healing rate after 1 week of skin grafting and the VSS score of scar in the follow-up of 6 months after discharge were better than those in the single-layer skin grafting group. One-step acellular dermis combined with autologous ultra-thin split thickness skin graft has high wound healing rate, less scar, smooth appearance and good elasticity in repairing burn and trauma wounds, which can provide an ideal repair method for wounds.

COL10A1 is a novel factor in the development of choroidal neovascularization.

With the dramatic rise in the aging population, researching age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially the severe form neovascular AMD (nAMD), has become more important than ever. In this study, we found that collagen type X was increased in retina-choroid tissue of mice with laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) based on immunohistofluorescence. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed to compare the retina-choroid tissue complex of the CNV mouse model to normal controls. Collagen type X alpha 1 chain (Col10a1) was among the most significantly upregulated genes, and the results were validated with an animal model at the mRNA and protein levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting, respectively. COL10A1 was also upregulated in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), RPE19 cells and RF/6A cells under hypoxic conditions. Next, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to study the effect of COL10A1 on neovascularization. siRNA knockdown of COL10A1 suppressed the proliferation and tube formation ability of HRMECs under hypoxic conditions. Snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAIL1) and angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) were downregulated in COL10A1 knockdown HRMECs under hypoxic conditions and thus were potential downstream genes. Significant decreases in CNV leakage and CNV lesion area, as assessed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and immunofluorescence of choroidal flat mounts, respectively, were observed in a mouse model intravitreally injected with anti-collagen X monoclonal antibody (mAb) compared to the controls. In conclusion, COL10A1 promotes CNV formation and may represent a new candidate target for the treatment and diagnosis of nAMD and other neovascular diseases.

Tissue-Specific Gamma-Flicker Light Noninvasively Ameliorates Retinal Aging.

Aging is a risk factor for multiple retinal degeneration diseases. Entraining brain gamma oscillations with gamma-flicker light (γFL) has been confirmed to coordinate pathological changes in several Alzheimer's disease mouse models and aged mice. However, the direct effect of γFL on retinal aging remains unknown. We assessed retinal senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (ß-gal) and autofluorescence in 20-month-old mice and found reduced ß-gal-positive cells in the inner retina and diminished lipofuscin accumulation around retinal vessels after 6 days of γFL. In immunofluorescence, γFL was further demonstrated to ameliorate aging-related retinal changes, including a decline in microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta expression, an increase in complement C3 activity, and an imbalance between the anti-oxidant factor catalase and pro-oxidant factor carboxymethyl lysine. Moreover, we found that γFL can increase the expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) in the inner retina, while revealing a decrease of ATF4 expression in the inner retina and positive expression in the outer segment of photoreceptor and RPE layer for aged mice. Western blotting was then used to confirm the immunofluorescence results. After mRNA sequencing (NCBI Sequence Read Archive database: PRJNA748184), we found several main mechanistic clues, including mitochondrial function and chaperone-mediated protein folding. Furthermore, we extended γFL to aged Apoe-/- mice and showed that 1-m γFL treatment even improved the structures of retinal-pigment-epithelium basal infolding and Bruch's membrane. Overall, γFL can orchestrate various pathological characteristics of retinal aging in mice and might be a noninvasive, convenient, and tissue-specific therapeutic strategy for retinal aging.

GPCR-mediated EGFR transactivation ameliorates skin toxicities induced by afatinib.

Many G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists have been studied for transactivating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling through extracellular or intracellular pathways. Accumulated evidence has confirmed that GPCR transactivation participates in various diseases. However, the clinical application of GPCR transactivation has not been explored, and more translational studies are needed to develop therapies to target GPCR-mediated EGFR transactivation. In cancer patients treated with EGFR inhibitors (EGFRi), especially afatinib, a unique acneiform rash is frequently developed. In this study, we first established the connection between GPCR transactivation and EGFRi-induced skin disease. We examined the ability of three different GPCR agonists to reverse signaling inhibition and ameliorate rash induced by EGFRi. The activation of different agonists follows unique time and kinase patterns. Rats treated with EGFRi show a similar skin phenotype, with rash occurring in the clinic; correspondingly, treatment with GPCR agonists reduced keratinocyte apoptosis, growth retardation and infiltration of inflammatory cytokines by transactivation. This phenomenon demonstrates that EGFR inhibition in keratinocytes regulates key factors associated with rash. Our findings indicate that maintaining EGFR signaling by GPCR agonists might provide a possible therapy for EGFR inhibitor-induced skin toxicities. Our study provides the first example of the translational application of GPCR transactivation in treating diseases.

Isolation and Identification of Endophytic Fungi in Kernels of Coix lachrymal-jobi L. Cultivars.

Coix lachrymal-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf of Gramineae are annual or perennial herbs and an important food-medicine homologous plants of high value in nutrition, health protection, and comprehensive utilization. In recent years, the revival of researches on its roles in food and medicinal applications of this underutilized grass for food security and economic empowerment of rural communities has been seen . In this research, Coix kernel endophytic fungi were isolated and identified by fungal colony morphology observation combined with the PCR-amplified fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analyses. All together six isolates to five species of Coix endophytic fungi and two isolates to the genus level were identified from the kernels of six Coix cultivars: Penicillium expansum, Penicillium polonicum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, and two genera of Aspergillus and Fusarium. Potential benefits and harms analyses showed that Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus oryzae, and Cladosporium cladosporioides can produce a variety of beneficial composite enzymes and have an extensive application in microbial chemistry, food science, and fermentation, whereas Penicillium, Aspergillus flavus, Alternaria alternate, and Fusarium can produce corresponding toxins harmful to plants, animals, and humans. These results not only provided a basis for the targeted prevention of contamination in the tissue culture of Coix kernels by the addition of specific antibiotics, but also enriched the endophytic fungi resource pool of Gramineae crops and suggested new ideas for the improvement, cultivation, post-harvest seeds/kernels storage, and the development of new natural drugs.

Mean platelet volume as an inflammatory marker in patients with severe periodontitis.

Periodontitis has become the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and the host's immunologic and inflammatory response to the bacteria can lead to periodontal destruction. In patients with periodontitis, platelets possess an increased activation status compared with platelets from healthy controls. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been considered an important index of platelet activity and an inflammatory marker in many infectious diseases. The present study investigated the relationship between MPV and disease activity in subjects with severe periodontitis. Forty-five patients with periodontitis and 45 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. All subjects received periodontal and hematological examinations. The periodontitis patients were administered active periodontal treatment (APT). At baseline, a statistically significant decrease in MPV was noted in patients with periodontitis (9.73 ± 1.06 fL) compared with healthy controls (10.24 ± 1.07 fL). At 1 month post-APT, MPV was substantially increased (10.11 ± 1.04 fL). Positive correlation was found between increase of MPV and decrease of periodontal probing depth after treatment(r = 0.377; p = 0.014). In conclusion, the decrease of MPV was related to the severe periodontal inflammation, and the value inversed shift after APT. MPV might reflect the disease activity of periodontitis.

Fruits and vegetables consumption and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Epidemiologic evidence suggests that intakes of fruits and/or vegetables may play a role in the etiology of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), but the findings are inconsistent. We aimed to assess fruits and/or vegetables intakes in relation to risk of NHL by a meta-analytic approach. We searched on PubMed database from January 1966 to September 2012 to indentify case-control and cohort studies. We used a random-effects model to compute summary risk estimates. For vegetables, the summary relative risks (RRs) of NHL for high versus low intake for case-control, cohort and all studies were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.60-0.94; N = 8), 0.90 (95% CI, 0.81-1.00; N = 5) and 0.81 (95%CI, 0.71-0.92; N = 13) ; and the corresponding RRs for intake of 1 serving per day were 0.88 (95% CI, 0.80-0.96; N = 8), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.92-1.00; N = 5) and 0.92 (95%CI, 0.87-0.96; N = 13). For fruits and vegetables combined, the summary RR for high versus low intake was 0.78 (95%CI, 0.66-0.92; N = 4), and for intake of 1 serving per day was 0.95 (95%CI, 0.91-1.00; N = 4). Regarding histological subtypes, vegetables intake was significantly inversely associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, but not small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (high vs. low intake, RR = 0.70, 0.70 and 1.01, respectively; N = 7, 7 and 10, respectively). Fruits intake was generally not associated with total NHL, or any histological subtypes. Our findings suggest that intakes of vegetables, and fruits and vegetables combined, but not fruits alone, significantly reduce risk of NHL.

[Predictive model for post-treatment tooth loss of patients with aggressive periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a predictive model for long-term tooth loss of patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP) after periodontal treatment. METHODS: Patients diagnosed as AgP in Department of Periodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, who were re-evaluated 3 to 11 years after periodontal treatment were enrolled (n=85). Logistic regression was performed to select background, periodontal and radiographic factors which were related to long-term post-treatment tooth loss. A predictive model was built and analyzed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: After periodontal treatment, 55 teeth from 22 patients lost further. High prevalence of baseline bone loss, root abnormality, and residual severe bleeding sites, as well as poor compliance to maintenance were detected as risk factors in the predictive model. ROC analysis found the sensitivity and specificity of the model could reach up to 80% simultaneously. CONCLUSION: Predictive model for post-treatment tooth loss of patients with AgP is an important adjunct in clinical practice.

Ellagic acid inhibits the formation of hypertrophic scars by suppressing TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway activity.

Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a benign fibroproliferative skin disease, which lacks the ideal treatment and drugs. Ellagic acid (EA) is a natural polyphenol that prevents fibroblasts from proliferating and migrating. This study aimed to determine the role of EA in HS formation and its possible mechanism by in vitro experiments. HS fibroblasts (HSFs) and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were separated from HS tissue and normal skin tissue, respectively. HSFs were treated with 10 and 50 µM EA to assess their effect on HS formation. In particular, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and scratch assay were used to detect the viability and migration ability of HSFs. Quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the mRNA expression level of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), extracellular matrix (ECM)-related gene collagen-I (COL-I), and fibronectin 1 (FN1) in HSFs. Finally, Western blot was utilized to measure the expression level of TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins in HSFs. The viability of HSFs was significantly increased compared with NFs. 10 and 50 µM EA treatment markedly inhibition the cell viability and migration of HSFs. EA treatment upregulated the bFGF expression level and downregulated the COL-I and FN1 expression level in HSFs. In addition, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 expression levels as well as p-Smad2/Smad2 and p-Smad3/Smad3 ratios remarkably decreased in HSFs after EA treatment. EA inhibited the formation of HSs by suppressing the viability and migration of HSFs and ECM deposition as well as by preventing the activation of TGF-ß/Smad signaling.

Tumor-induced osteomalacia with elevated fibroblast growth factor 23: a case of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed with connective tissue variants and review of the literature.

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO), or oncogenic osteomalacia (OOM), is a rare acquired paraneoplastic disease characterized by renal phosphate wasting and hypophosphatemia. Recent evidence shows that tumor-overexpressed fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is responsible for the hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia. The tumors associated with TIO are usually phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed connective tissue variants (PMTMCT). Surgical removal of the responsible tumors is clinically essential for the treatment of TIO. However, identifying the responsible tumors is often difficult. Here, we report a case of a TIO patient with elevated serum FGF23 levels suffering from bone pain and hypophosphatemia for more than three years. A tumor was finally located in first metacarpal bone by octreotide scintigraphy and she was cured by surgery. After complete excision of the tumor, serum FGF23 levels rapidly decreased, dropping to 54.7% of the preoperative level one hour after surgery and eventually to a little below normal. The patient's serum phosphate level rapidly improved and returned to normal level in four days. Accordingly, her clinical symptoms were greatly improved within one month after surgery. There was no sign of tumor recurrence during an 18-month period of follow-up. According to pathology, the tumor was originally diagnosed as "lomangioma" based upon a biopsy sample, "proliferative giant cell tumor of tendon sheath" based upon sections of tumor, and finally diagnosed as PMTMCT by consultation one year after surgery. In conclusion, although an extremely rare disease, clinicians and pathologists should be aware of the existence of TIO and PMTMCT, respectively.

The effects of low-dose biochar amendments on arsenic accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The accumulation of arsenic (As) in rice is one of the food security-related concerns in As-contaminated areas all over the world. Biochar, a potential green and cost-efficient amendment material, affects As mobility/phytoavailability in soil and As accumulation in rice plants to some extent, which remains unclear. Thus, three different biochars derived from rice straw, corn stalks, and bamboo were used to investigate the impacts of biochar amendments on As mobility/phytoavailability in As-contaminated soil using pot and microcosm experiments. The results showed a limited reduction (by 12-16%) in As accumulation in rice grains under a low-dose (0.5%, w/w) biochar amendment, although the three biochars displayed different physicochemical properties. In addition, the biochar amendments did not significantly decrease the As levels in the straw and roots, potentially because of the small changes in As mobility/phytoavailability in amended soil relative to the control. However, As levels in soil solution in the biochar treatment groups increased substantially, by 2.8-6.6 times, with increasing biochar doses (0.5-5%, w/w) in microcosm-based anaerobic incubation experiments, particularly at higher doses (3-5%, w/w). These results could be attributed to the biochar-enhancing activity of As(V)-/Fe(III)-reducing bacteria at a high biochar application rate. Our results suggested that applying high biochar doses may increase the release of As into the soil, resulting in As accumulation in rice plants. Therefore, to mitigate the health risk of As in As-contaminated paddy soils, the remediation technologies from biochar methods should be subjected to more evaluation.

High-salt diet inhibits tumour growth in mice via regulating myeloid-derived suppressor cell differentiation.

High-salt diets are associated with an elevated risk of autoimmune diseases, and immune dysregulation plays a key role in cancer development. However, the correlation between high-salt diets (HSD) and cancer development remains unclear. Here, we report that HSD increases the local concentration of sodium chloride in tumour tissue, inducing high osmotic stress that decreases both the production of cytokines required for myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expansion and MDSCs accumulation in the blood, spleen, and tumour. Consequently, the two major types of MDSCs change their phenotypes: monocytic-MDSCs differentiate into antitumour macrophages, and granulocytic-MDSCs adopt pro-inflammatory functions, thereby reactivating the antitumour actions of T cells. In addition, the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 is enhanced in HSD-induced M-MDSC differentiation. Collectively, our study indicates that high-salt intake inhibits tumour growth in mice by activating antitumour immune surveillance through modulating the activities of MDSCs.

Transcriptome profile analysis reveals a silica-induced immune response and fibrosis in a silicosis rat model.

Silicosis is a type of pneumoconiosis caused by the inhalation of silica dust. It is characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the lung. Although many studies have reported that crystalline silica-inhalation into the lung initiates the immune response, activating effector cells and triggering the inflammatory cascade with subsequent elaboration of the extracellular matrix and fibrosis, the mechanism of silicosis pathogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we established a silica inhalation-induced silicosis rat model validated by histological and cytokine analyses. RNA-seq and bioinformatic analyses showed that 600 genes were upregulated and 537 genes were downregulated in the silica-treated group. GO enrichment analysis indicates that these differentially expressed genes are enriched in several biological processes including immune response and organism remodeling. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that 53 enriched pathways were mainly associated with human diseases, immune response, signal transduction, and fibrosis process. Since alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs is also essential for the regulation of gene expression, we identified several alternative pre-mRNA splicing events in the fibrotic process. This study will provide a foundation to understand the molecular mechanism of the pulmonary fibrosis caused by silica.

Perfluorooctanoic acid exposure induces apoptosis in SMMC-7721 hepatocellular cancer cells.

To better understand the toxicological activities of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), we examined the effects of PFOA on apoptosis and its molecular mechanism in SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR were used to examine the protein and gene expressions of Bax and Bcl-2. Our results showed that PFOA inhibited SMMC-7721 cell growth and induced apoptosis. PFOA treatment increased Bax expression and increased Bcl-2 expression at both gene and protein levels. Our study demonstrated that PFOA had toxic effects on SMMC-7721 cells, such as inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, we showed that PFOA-mediated induction of apoptosis involved inducing Bax and decreasing Bcl-2 expression as a molecular mechanism of its toxicological effects.

[Effects of storage time on magnolol and honokiol contents in bark of Magnolia officinalis].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal the relationship between the storage time of the bark of Magnolia officinalis and the content of phenols in it, and lay a theoretical foundation for the harvest, processing, management and storage. METHOD: The contents of magnolol and honokoiol in 15 bark samples, collected from the main producing areas in China, were determined in the time of freshly harvest and 3 and 10 years after respectively by HPLC method. RESULT: It showed that within a certain period of time, bark storage was favorable to conversion and accumulation of phenols, that the content of magnolol tended to increase from year 0 to year 3, then followed by slight decrease with years on account of volatilization of phenols, but was still higher when the bark was stored for 10 years than that that when the bark was freshly harvested, and the content of honokoiol still tended to increase when the bark had been stored for 10 years. CONCLUSION: The phenols in bark of M. officinalis is quite stable and the bark can be stored for 10 years or longer.

Ginsenoside G-Rh2 synergizes with SMI-4a in anti-melanoma activity through autophagic cell death.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and SMI-4a and G-Rh2 exert anti-tumor activity in multiple cancer. However, SMI-4a as well as a synergistic relationship between SMI-4a and G-Rh2 in anti-melanoma capacity are still unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 on the viability, apoptosis and autophagy of melanoma, and to preliminarily explore the underlying mechanism of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 in inhibiting tumor growth. METHODS: Cell viability was examined with cell counting Kit 8 assay and colony formation assay; Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and Caspase 3/7 activity assay; Western blotting was used to test proteins related to autophagy and the AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway; Tumor xenograft model in BALB/c nude mice was performed to evaluate the effects of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 in anti-melanoma in vivo. RESULTS: SMI-4a, a pharmacological inhibitor of PIM-1, could decrease cell viability, induce apoptosis, and promote Caspase 3/7 activity in both A375 and G361 melanoma cells, and SMI-4a inhibited tumor growth by inducing autophagy via down-regulating AKT/mTOR axis in melanoma cells. Furthermore, G-Rh2 amplified the anti-tumor activity of SMI-4a in melanoma cells via strengthening autophagy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that SMI-4a could enhance autophagy-inducing apoptosis by inhibiting AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in melanoma cells, and G-Rh2 could enhance the effects of SMI-4a against melanoma cancer via amplifying autophagy induction. This study demonstrates that combined SMI-4a and G-Rh2 might be a novel alternative strategy for melanoma treatment.

[Potential impact of water transfer project from Yangtze River to Huaihe River on snail spread and schistosomiasis transmission].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of spread of snails and transmission of schistosomiasis japonica due to the construction of water transfer project from Yangtze River to Huaihe River. METHODS: In order to understand the current endemic situation of schistosomiasis in the project area, the distribution of snails was surveyed by routine methods, level of anti-schistosome antibody in human sera was detected by indirect haemagglutination test (IHA), and the prevalence of schistosomiasis in cattle was detected by egg hatching method. The snail survival and reproduction were observed in Chaohu Lake area(experimental area) and a control area for one year. RESULTS: Snail density was high in two starting points, from where the water in Yangtze River will be directed to Huaihe River. In counties of Wuwei and Hexian, through which the project will be built, the positive rate of anti-schistosome antibody in residents was 22.11% (168/760) and 18.59% (37/199), schistosomiasis prevalence in cattle was 2.42% (9/371) and 0.2% (2/997), respectively. Schistosomiasis was also endemic in Juchao District of Chaohu City. Snails respectively from grassland and hilly area were collected and put in Chaohu Lake for breed and newborn snails were found one year later. During the egg-laying season, the survival rate of snails from grassland in 2 experiment areas and a control area was 11.3%-16.7%, 3.0%-20.8% and 4.7%-14.7% respectively (chi2 = 0.093, 0.760, P > 0.05; chi2 = 0.647, 0, P > 0.05), and that of snails from hilly area was 24.1%-44.4%, 37.8%-67.3% and 86.3%-93.1% respectively (chi2 = 9.575, 5.302, P < 0.05; chi2 = 56.863, 36.218, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the experimental area and the control area on the number of eggs in the ovaries of the same type female snails. CONCLUSION: The one-year observation reveals that the construction of the project might result in spread of snails and transmission of schistosomiasis japonica in the relevant areas.

[Effect of thermal cycling on surface microstructure of different light-curing composite resins].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of thermal cycling on surface microstructure of different light-curing composite resins. METHODS: A nanofilled composite (Z350) and 4 microhybrid composites (P60, Z250, Spectrum, and AP-X) were fabricated from lateral to center to form cubic specimens. The lateral surfaces were abrased and polished before water storage and 40 000 thermal cycles (5/55 degrees celsius;). The mean surface roughness (Ra) were measured and compared before and after thermal cycling, and the changes of microstructure were observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS: Significant decreases of Ra were observed in the composites, especially in Spectrum (from 0.164±0.024 µm to 0.140±0.017 µm, P<0.001) and Z250 (from 0.169±0.035 µm to 0.144±0.033 µm, P<0.001), whose Ra approximated that of P60 (0.121±0.028 µm) with smoothly polished surface. SEM revealed scratches and shallower pits on the surface of all the 5 resins, and fissures occurred on Z350 following the thermal cycling. CONCLUSION: Water storage and thermal cycling may produce polishing effect on composite resins and cause fissures on nanofilled composite resins.

[Comparison of surface roughness of nanofilled and microhybrid composite resins after curing and polishing].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the surface roughness of nanofilled dental composite resin and microhybrid composite resins after curing and polishing. METHODS: A nanofilled composite (Z350) and 4 microhybrid composites (P60, Z250, Spectrum, and AP-X) were fabricated from the lateral to the medial layers to prepare 8 mm×8 mm×5 mm cubical specimens. The 4 lateral surfaces of each specimens were polished with abrasive disks (Super-Snap). Profilometer was used to test the mean surface roughness (Ra) after polishing. RESULTS: P60 had the lowest Ra (0.125∓0.030 µm) followed by Z250 and Spectrum. The Ra of Z350 (0.205∓0.052 µm) was greater than that of the other 3 resins, and AP-X had the roughest surfaces. Under scanning electron microscope, the polished faces of P60 resin were characterized by minor, evenly distributed particles with fewer scratches; the polished faces of Z350 presented with scratches where defects of the filling material could be seen. CONCLUSION: The nanofilled composite Z350 has smooth surface after polishing by abrasive disks, but its smoothness remains inferior to that of other micro-hybrid composite resins.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus among women from Henan, China.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been implicated as a causative of cervical cancer. In the present study, a total of 578 samples from females attending the gynecological outpatient clinic in Henan province, China, were collected and the HPV genotypes were detected by gene chip and flow-through hybridization. Overall, 44.5% (257/578) females were found to be HPV DNA positive, and the high risk HPV (HR-HPV) rate was 35.1% (203/578). The first peak of HR-HPV infection appeared in the >60 year-old group (55.0%), and the second was within the 51-55 year-old group (50.0%) (χ2=19.497, p<0.05). HPV 16 was the most prevalent genotype (9.2%), followed by HPV 52 (7.8%), HPV 6 (6.9%), HPV 11 (5.9%) and HPV 42 (5.0%). The single type HPV infection was 30.4%, with the five majority prevalent genotype HPV 16 (16.5%), HPV 52 (14.3%), HPV 6 (12.6%), HPV 42 (8.6%), HPV 31 (5.1%). The multiple-type HPV infections were 14.0%, and HPV 16 was the most prevalent type (29.6%), followed by HPV 52 (24.7%), HPV 6 (22.2%), HPV 11 (22.2%), HPV 42 (17.3%) and HPV 39 (17.3%).