Determination of Mouth Width for Facial Reconstruction Based on Statistical Regression Model.

INTRODUCTION: It is important to generate predictable statistical models by increasing the number of variables on the human skeletal and soft tissue structures on the face to increase the accuracy of human facial reconstructions. The purpose of this study was to determine mouth width 3-dimensionally based on statistical regression model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cone-beam computed tomography scan data from 130 individuals were used to measure the horizontal and vertical dimensions of orbital and nasal structures and intercanine width. The correlation between these hard tissue variables and the mouth width was evaluated using the statistical regression model. RESULTS: Orbital width, nasal width, and intercanine width were found to be strong predictors of the mouth width determination and were used to generate the regression formulae to find the most approximate position of the mouth. CONCLUSION: These specific variables may contribute to improving the accuracy of mouth width determination for oral and maxillofacial reconstructions.

Comprehensive metabolic profiling of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an important complication of diabetes mellitus and a prevalent blind-causing ophthalmic disease. Despite years of efforts, rapid and accurate diagnosis of DR remains a challenging task. Metabolomics has been used as a diagnostic tool for disease progression and therapy monitoring. In this study, retinal tissues were collected from diabetic mice and age-matched non-diabetic mice. An unbiased metabolic profiling was performed to identify the altered metabolites and metabolic pathways in DR. 311 differential metabolites were identified between diabetic retinas and non-diabetic retinas under the criteria of variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 and P < 0.05. These differential metabolites were highly enriched in purine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and pantaothenate and CoA biosynthesis. We then evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of purine metabolites as the candidate biomarkers for DR through the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUC-ROCs). Compared with other purine metabolites, adenosine, guanine, and inosine had higher sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for DR prediction. In conclusion, this study sheds new light on the metabolic mechanism of DR, which can facilitate clinical diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of DR in the future.

Application of the Digital Articulator in Surgery-First Approach.

ABSTRACT: Orthognathic surgery with surgery-first concept inevitably leads to an increase in posterior vertical dimension and anterior mandibular movement, causing a relapse. This case report introduces a digital technique for predictable surgical outcome in mandibular setback with the surgery-first orthognathic concept using digital articulator. Intraoral scans and a digital articulator were used to simulate the mandibular position after surgery and to predict postoperative increase in vertical dimension and its expecting forward movement of mandibile. This was incorporated in surgical planning. Sequential cone-beam computed tomography evaluation showed stable condylar position at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Thus, a digital articulator can be used to simulate the surgical outcome and to predict postsurgical increase in vertical dimension for better treatment planning.

Effect of artifact area on cone beam computed tomography scans when integrated with intraoral scans.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine whether integration accuracy increases upon removing artifacts from the registration area when integrating maxillofacial cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and intraoral scans. STUDY DESIGN: Three methods were implemented according to the region of interest (ROI): R0, all teeth included as the registration area (artifacts included); R1, anterior teeth included as the registration area (artifacts in premolars and molars not included); and R2, anterior teeth and second molars included as the registration area (artifacts in premolars and first molars not included). Discrepancies between the 2 images were evaluated by using color-mapping methods. The average surface distance was calculated by measuring the shell/shell deviations for overall discrepancies and 3-dimensional distances between the surface points on the 2 images for registration discrepancies. RESULTS: The R1 method showed more discrepancies between the CBCT and intraoral scans compared with the other 2 methods. The R2 method showed smaller overall discrepancy values compared with the R1 method. Most CBCT artifacts were located in the posterior area. Registration discrepancies were greatest in the x-dimension. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that intraoral and CBCT scans might be integrated by using a registration method that involves exclusion of artifacts and inclusion of the second molar on both sides.

Suppression of pathological ocular neovascularization by a small molecule, SU1498.

Selective inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), particularly VEGFR-2, is an efficient method for the treatment of ocular neovascularization. SU1498 is a specific inhibitor of VEGFR-2. In this study, we investigated the role of SU1498 in ocular neovascularization. Administration of SU1498 did not show any cytotoxicity and tissue toxicity at the tested concentrations. Administration of SU1498 reduced the size and thickness of choroidal neovascularization and decreased the mean length and mean number of corneal neovascular vessels induced by alkali burn. Pretreatment of SU1498 significantly reduced the proliferation, migration, and tube formation ability of HUVECs. SU1498 played the anti-angiogenic role through the regulation of p38-MAPK signaling. Taken together, inhibition of VEGFR-2 by SU1498 provides a novel therapeutic approach for ocular neovascularization.

Condylar head remodeling compensating for condylar head displacement by orthognathic surgery.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between kind of condylar displacement due to orthognathic surgery and the subsequent adaptive condylar head remodeling. The sample in this retrospective cohort study consisted of 30 patients (12 female and 18 male; mean age 22.7 y) with skeletal Class III malocclusion who underwent bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO). Three-dimensional superimpositions of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan derived images from immediately after and 6 months after surgery were to reveal the type of remodeling, while images from before and immediately after surgery were to identify the type of condylar displacement. Laterally displaced condyles showed bone resorption on the lateral surfaces and deposition on the medial surfaces, whereas the contrary was found in medially displaced condyles. Anteriorly displaced condyles showed resorption on the anterior surfaces and deposition on the posterior surfaces, whereas the contrary was found in posteriorly displaced condyles. Superior surfaces of the condyles showed bone resorption regardless of displacement direction. The results indicate that condylar remodeling patterns (resorption/deposition) are determined by the direction of condylar displacement during surgery. However, condylar displacement by surgery is not completely compensated by condylar head remodeling, especially in case of downward displacement.

[The preliminary research on the gap junction mechanisms for synergistic effects of liuwei di-huang pill containing serum on suicide gene therapy of melanoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the gap junction mechanisms for synergistic effects of liuwei di-huang pill (LDP) containing serum on HSV-tk/GCV suicide gene therapy of mouse malignant melanoma B16 cells. METHODS: The LDP containing serum (2.5% LDP serum group, 5.0% LDP serum group, and 10.0% LDP serum group) and the control serum group were set up. The effects of LDP on mRNA expressions of Cx26 and Cx43 in mouse malignant melanoma B16 cells were detected by RT-PCR assay. The effects of LDP on protein expressions of Cx26 and Cx43 in B16 cells were detected using Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assay. The interference efficiencies of Cx26-309, Cx26-337, Cx26-367, Cx26-2098 SiRNA on Cx26 gene in B16 cells were detected using RT-RCR technique. Cx26-2098 SiRNA, due to the optimal interference efficiency, was chosen to interfere Cx26 gene, and the bystander effect of LDP + HSV-tk/GCV was observed. The effects of the gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) inhibitor glycyrrhetinic acid on the killing of LDP + HSV-tk/GCV system to B16 cells were detected by MTT assay. In this experiment, the control serum group, 2.5% LDP serum group, 5. 0% LDP serum group, 10.0% LDP serum group, the control serum combined GCV group, 2.5% LDP serum combined GCV group, 5.0% LDP serum combined GCV group, 10.0% LDP serum combined GCV group, 2.5% LDP serum combined GCV + glycyrrhetinic acid group, 5.0% LDP serum combined GCV + glycyrrhetinic acid group, 10.0% LDP serum combined GCV + glycyrrhetinic acid group were set up. The final concentration of GCV was 20 micromol/L. The final concentration of glycyrrhetinic acid was 50 micromol/L. RESULTS: LDP containing serum could increase the protein and mRNA expressions of Cx43 in B16 cell in a dose-dependent manner. It had bi-directional regulation on the Cx26 protein and mRNA expressions. The low dose LDP had inhibition while high dose LDP could up-regulate its expression. After SiRNA interfered Cx26 gene, there was no obvious change in the bystander effect of LDP combined suicide gene therapy between before and after interference. There was significant reduction in the inhibition rate between before (48.75%, 59.39%, and 69.28%) and after blockage (29.14%, 38.71%, and 58.13%) of glycyrrhetinic acid in the 2. 5%, 5.0%, 10.0% LDP serum combined GCV groups (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The synergistic effects of LDP containing serum on HSV-tk/GCV suicide gene therapy in mouse malignant melanoma B16 cells were correlated with the gap junction mechanisms, which might be achieved through increasing the expressions of Cx26 and Cx43.

Induction of apoptosis by evodiamine involves both activation of mitotic arrest and mitotic slippage.

Evodiamine (Evo) is an indole quinazoline alkaloid isolated from the fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa Bentham. Previous studies have shown that Evo exhibits anti-proliferative anti-tumor activities in several cancer types, but its target(s) and underlying mechanism(s) of action remain unclear. In the present study, we sought to establish a cell synchronization model in order to examine the anti-proliferative and apoptotic mechanisms of Evo in the human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901. In addition, we transfected these cells with full-length or non-degradable (ND) cyclinB1 to evaluate the relationship between the induction of apoptosis and activation of mitotic arrest and mitotic slippage by Evo. Our results demonstrated that Evo markedly inhibited cell growth and was cytotoxic to SGC-7901 cells. Furthermore, transient Evo treatment (<16 h) caused reversible mitotic arrest, but sustained mitotic arrest was required to initiate apoptosis. The time required to reverse the apoptotic effects of Evo was between 16 and 20 h. We also demonstrated that promotion of mitotic slippage by a CDK1 inhibitor enhanced apoptosis. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of delaying mitotic slippage by overexpressing ND cyclinB1, which delayed apoptosis. In conclusion, these results indicate that Evo-induced apoptosis is associated with mitotic arrest and subsequent mitotic slippage, which may underlie the actions of Evo in the treatment and prevention of cancer.

[Effect of sinomenine on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nuclear factor-kappaB in the heterotopic tissue in rats with endometriosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of sinomenine on the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and in the heterotopic tissue in rats with endometriosis. METHODS: The rats with endometriosis were divided into sinomenine lavage group, blank control group, model group and danazol group, and the levels of TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB in the heterotopic tissues of the rats were detected with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Sinomenine lavage and danazol treatment both significantly decreased the levels of levels of TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB in the heterotopic tissues of the rats as compared with the model group (P<0.05), and lesions were significantly smaller in sinomenine lavage group than in danazol group. CONCLUSION: Sinomenine can inhibit the production and activity of TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB to suppress the adhesion, implantation, infiltration and growth of the endometrial cells in the rat model of endometriosis.