Uptight responses between clenching and forearm raising with factors of visual feedback and maintenance effort in healthy young women: An experimental study on factorial design.

BACKGROUND: To achieve different central preset force levels requires various fine-tuning efforts and may elicit different uptight responses. The mandibular lever system has a distinct regularity in the fine-tuning function of the upper limbs. The purpose of the present study was to detect whether the uptight responses elicited from motivating clenching differ from those induced by motivating forearm raising at different force levels. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy females were enrolled in this study. The target was low, medium, and maximum force levels with or without visual feedback and/or maintenance effort. Surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity was recorded from the bilateral anterior temporalis and masseter or left biceps brachii muscle (BicL), and the T-Scan III System synchronously recorded the sensitive force values. The uptight responses and task difficulties were recorded for occlusal and left forearm lifting tasks using a unique visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The highest uptight response value was achieved at a low clenching force level with visual feedback requiring no maintenance effort but at a maximum forearm-raising force level with visual feedback and maintenance effort. The SEMG activities of both jaw-closing muscles and BicL were associated with the central preset force level (P < 0.001). However, the maintenance effort only increased the jaw-closing muscles' SEMG activity at the maximal force level (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clenching at the central preset lower force level with visual feedback is prone to elicit a higher degree of uptight response. The constant need for a low-intensity bite can have a negative effect on an individual's mood.

The complete chloroplast genome of Urtica angustifolia Fisch. ex Hornem. (Urticaceae), an important kind of traditional Chinese medicine in China.

Urtica angustifolia Fisch. ex Hornem. is an important Chinese medicine. Here, the complete chloroplast genome of U. angustifolia was assembled and characterized. The length of the chloroplast genome was 146,679 bp with the typical quadripartite structure, containing two inverted repeats (IRs) of 24,595 bp separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 79,820 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,669 bp. The whole chloroplast genome of U. angustifolia contains 111 genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Nucleotide variability analysis identified three hotspot regions (trnK-rps16, ndhF-rps32, and ycf1b) for genomic divergence and 52 simple sequence repeats. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genomes exhibited that U. angustifolia formed a clade with Urtica lobatifolia and Hesperocnide tenella.

Association Between Contact from an Overerupted Third Molar and Bilaterally Redistributed Electromyographic Activity of the Jaw Closing Muscles.

AIMS: To determine whether the facial side of an overerupted third molar and/or the side exhibiting symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) has an association with the bilateral distribution of occlusal contact number, occlusal force, or surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of the anterior temporalis (TA) and masseter muscles. METHODS: Nineteen patients with unilateral TMD symptoms and one overerupted mandibular third molar were enrolled. Occlusal contacts and the SEMG activity of the anterior temporalis and masseter muscles were recorded simultaneously during maximal voluntary clenching (MVC) in the intercuspal position (ICP-MVC) and in the protrusive edge-to-edge position (Pro-MVC). The associations between the side of overeruption/TMD symptoms and the Δvalues of the differences between the right- and left-side values for the number of occlusal contacts, sectional force value (defined as the ratio of the anterior or posterior sectional arch bite force of the right or left side to the total arch force [SFV]), and SEMG activity of the temporalis and masseter muscles were analyzed. RESULTS: The overeruption side (P < .050), but not the symptomatic side (P > .050), showed an association with the Δvalues, with higher SFVs of the posterior arch and lower values for temporalis SEMG activity in the 100%, 75%, and 50% protrusive clenching positions and larger numbers of occlusal contacts in the posterior arch in the 100% and 75% protrusive clenching positions than the non-overeruption side. CONCLUSION: The pattern of occlusion, but not TMD symptoms, had an association with the number and distribution of the occlusal contacts, occlusal force, and temporalis SEMG activity.

Suppression of Long Non-Coding RNA LINC00652 Restores Sevoflurane-Induced Cardioprotection Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Targeting GLP-1R Through the cAMP/PKA Pathway in Mice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) are crucial for heart development and for adult heart structural maintenance and function. Herein, we performed a study to explore the effect of lncRNA LINC00652 (LINC00652) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury by targeting GLP-1R through the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway. METHODS: Bioinformatics software was used to screen the long-chain non-coding RNAs associated with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and to predict target genes. The mRNA and protein levels of LINC00652, GLP-1R and CREB were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. In order to identify the interaction between LINC00652 and myocardial I/R injury, the cardiac function, the hemodynamic changes, the pathological changes of the myocardial tissues, the myocardial infarct size, and the apoptosis of myocardial cells of mice were measured. Meanwhile, the levels of serum IL-1ß and TNF-α were detected. RESULTS: LINC00652 was overexpressed in the myocardial cells of mice with myocardial I/R injury. GLP-1R is the target gene of LINC00652. We also determined higher levels of LINC00652 and GLP-1R in the I/R modeled mice. Additionally, si-LINC00652 decreased cardiac pathology, infarct size, apoptosis rates of myocardial cells, and levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α, and increased GLP-1R expression cardiac function, normal hemodynamic index, and the expression and phosphorylation of GLP-1R and CREB proteins. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our key findings of the present highlight LINC00652 inhibits the activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway by targeting GLP-1R to reduce the protective effect of sevoflurane on myocardial I/R injury in mice.

MicroRNA-374 Exerts Protective Effects by Inhibiting SP1 Through Activating the PI3K/Akt Pathway in Rat Models of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion After Sevoflurane Preconditioning.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death in cardiovascular diseases, and microRNAs (miRs) have been reported to be potential therapeutic targets in heart disease. Herein, this study aims to investigate the effects of microRNA (miR)-374 on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat models pretreated with sevoflurane by targeting SP1 through the PI3K/Akt pathway. METHODS: SD rats were grouped into sham, I/R and sevoflurane + I/R (sevoflurane preconditioning and I/R) groups. The biochemical indicators, pathological changes, positive expression of SP1 protein, and apoptosis rates were measured using biochemical detection, Evans blue-TTC staining, immunohistochemistry and TUNEL staining. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to investigate the expression of miR-374 mRNA and the protein expression of SP1, PI3K, HO-1, p53, iNOS, c-fos, Akt/p-Akt, and GSK-3ß/p-GSK-3ß. Cardiomyocytes were treated with miR-374 mimics, miR-374 inhibitors, or siRNA-SP1. Cardiomyocyte proliferation and cycle distribution and apoptosis were studied by MTT and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared with the I/R group, in the sevoflurane + I/R group, serum SOD and IL-10 increased, while MDA, LDH, CK, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 decreased, as did the percentage of infarct area, the positive rate of SP1 and the apoptosis index. The expression of SP1, p53, iNOS and c-fos decreased, and the miR-374 expression of PI3K, HO-1, Akt/p-Akt, GSK-3ß/p-GSK-3ß increased. With the upregulation of miR-374 and the downregulation of SP1, the expression of SP1, p53, iNOS and c-fos decreased, as did the proportion of cells in G1 phase and the apoptosis rate; the expression of PI3K, HO-1, Akt/p-Akt, GSK-3ß/p-GSK-3ß increased. The results in the miR-374 inhibitor group contrasted with the above results. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that miR-374 could alleviate myocardial I/R damage in rat models pretreated with sevoflurane by targeting SP1 by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Interferential effect of the over-erupted third molar on chewing movement.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether over-eruption of the mandibular third molar can disturb chewing movement. METHODS: Eighteen patients with a unilateral mandibular over-erupted third molar confirmed by both study cast observation and T-scan occlusal detection were selected from a sample of patients with complaints of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. A unilateral gum-chewing trace was recorded separately for left and right side chewing by an electrognathography system. The average chewing pattern (ACP) was created based on segments from the recorded chewing trace to represent the chewing movement characteristics of each individual. Two factors, the TMD symptomatic side and the over-eruption side, were analysed for their effects on values of difference in the parameters (Δvalue) regarding the ACP between chewing with right and left side. Three-dimensional amplitudes of ACP and the cross point value of ACP with the vertical axis (termed the cross zero point value) which described the turning point of the chewing cycle from the balancing side to the working side, were compared between sides. RESULTS: The over-eruption side had an effect on the Δvalue of the medial amplitude, the lateral amplitude, and the cross zero point (P<0.05), but the symptomatic side didn't (P>0.05). When chewing on the over-eruption side, the medial amplitude was shorter, the lateral amplitude was larger, and the cross zero point value was smaller than those when chewing on the other side (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The present data indicate an effect of the over-erupted mandibular third molar on the chewing pattern while that from the symptom(s) is limited.

An investigation of the simultaneously recorded occlusal contact and surface electromyographic activity of jaw-closing muscles for patients with temporomandibular disorders and a scissors-bite relationship.

Surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of the masseter and anterior temporalis (TA) muscles has been reported to be associated with occlusion and orofacial pain. However, our recent report did not reveal an association between the side of orofacial pain and the side showing higher or lower level of SEMG activity of masseter or TA. The present purpose was to re-test this association in patients who had unilateral scissors-bite relationship. Thirty-two unilateral scissors-bite femalepatients complaining of unilateral orofacial pain (n=15) or TMJ sounds (n=17) were enrolled to simultaneously record contacts, force distribution of occlusion, and SEMG activity of masseter and TA during centric maximal voluntary clenching (MVC). The results indicated that neither orofacial pain nor the TMJ sounds had an association with the masseter's SEMG values, while scissors-bite had (P<0.05). A lower SEMG value for masseter was found on the scissors-bite side where there was a smaller number of contacts and a lower biting force distribution (P<0.05). No such association was revealed in TA. In conclusion, in patients with unilateral TMD symptom(s) and scissors-bite, the jawclosing muscles' SEMG activity during centric MVC was associated with the scissors-bite rather than the symptoms of orofacial pain or TMJ sounds.

An investigation on the simultaneously recorded occlusion contact and surface electromyographic activity for patients with unilateral temporomandibular disorders pain.

The present study examined if unilateral pain from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) was associated with the occlusion contacts and surface electromyographic (SEMG) activities of jaw-closing muscles. Eleven patients with unilateral TMD pain and 20 healthy volunteers who all had Angle's Class-I occlusions were enrolled. The numbers and load distributions of the occlusion contacts and the SEMG activities of the anterior temporalis (TA) muscles and masseters muscles (MM) during maximal voluntary clenching (MVC) in the centric and eccentric positions were simultaneously recorded on both sides. The pain was not associated with occlusal contact numbers or load distributions. The SEMG activities of the pain-side TA and bilateral MM were lower during centric MVC compared with controls. The SEMG activities of the non-pain-side TA and the normalized SEMG activities of the bilateral TAs and MMs were higher during protrusive MVC (p<0.05). During pain-side MVC, the normalized SEMG activities of the working-side MM and balancing-side TA were higher than those of the controls. In conclusion, the TMD pain side was not associated with the occlusal contacts, but the patients with TMD had TA and MM SEMG activities during different tasks that differed from controls and that did not seem related to the pain side.

[Research on ground scenery spectral radiation source with tunable spectra].

A spectrum-tunable ground scenery spectrum radiation source, using LEDs and bromine tungsten lamp as luminescence media, was introduced. System structure and control of the spectrum radiation source was expounded in detail. In order to simulate various ground scenery spectrum distribution with different shapes, a ground scenery spectral database was established in the control system. An improved genetic algorithm was proposed, and a large number of ground scenery spectra were produced by the simulator. Spectral similarity and the average spectral matching error of several typical ground scenery spectra were further analyzed. Spectral similarity of red bands, green bands, blue bands and near-infrared spectral band also was discussed. When the radiance of the target was 50 W x (m2 x sr)(-1), the average spectral matching error was less than 10% and spectral similarity was greater than 0.9, up to 0.983. Spectral similarity of red band, green band, blue band and near-infrared band (especially green band and near-infrared band) was less than that of full-band. Compared with blue band and red band, spectral similarity of green band and near-infrared band low-amplitude maximum can rearch 50%. Ground scenery spectrum radiation source can be used as radiometric calibration source for optical remote sensor, and calibration error, which is caused by objectives and calibration sources spectral mismatch, can be effectively reduced.

[Measurement of relative spectral responsivity of photodetector by LED-based spectrum-tunable source].

A method of determining relative spectral responsivity of photodetector by LED-based spectrum-tunable integrating sphere source is put forward, and the measuring principle and algorithm are exhaustively described. In the course of calculation, the radiant transmission integral equation was changed into summation formula, and the degree of approximation between integral value and summation value is related to the selected wavelength interval. The differences between integral value and summation value in different wavelength intervals of Si photodiode and CCD were simulated and analyzed. The simulated results demonstrated that the relative differences between signal integral value and signal summation value of Si photodiode and CCD were below 0.2% in 10 nm interval, so 10 nm interval was an ideal choice. In the end, the factors affecting measurement accuracy were discussed and the solution suggestions were given. This method is easy in structure, and it avoids the measurement transmission errors of some instruments, such as monochromator.