Coupled Poly(ethylenimine) Coreactant to Enhance Electrochemiluminescence of Polymer Dots for Array Imaging of Protein Biomarkers.

Traditional electrochemiluminescent (ECL) bioanalysis suffers from the demand for excessive external coreactants and the damage of reaction intermediates. In this work, a poly(ethylenimine) (PEI)-coupled ECL emitter was proposed by covalently coupling tertiary amine-rich PEI to polymer dots (Pdots). The coupled PEI might act as a highly efficient coreactant to enhance the ECL emission of Pdots through intramolecular electron transfer, reducing the electron transfer distance between emitter and coreactant intermediates and avoiding the disadvantages of traditional ECL systems. Through modification of the PEI-Pdots with tDNA, a sequence partially complementary to cDNA that was complementary to the aptamer of target protein biomarker (aDNA), tDNA-PEI-Pdots were obtained. The biosensors were produced using Au/indium tin oxide (ITO) with an aDNA/cDNA hybrid, and an ECL imaging biosensor array was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of protein biomarkers. Using vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (VEGF165) as a protein model, the proposed ECL imaging method containing two simple incubations with target samples and then tDNA-PEI-Pdots showed a detectable range of 1 pg mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1 and a detection limit of 0.71 pg mL-1, as well as excellent performance such as low toxicity, high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, good accuracy, and acceptable fabrication reproducibility. The PEI-coupled Pdots provide a new avenue for the design of ECL emitters and the application of ECL imaging in disease biomarker detection.

Potential- and Color-Resolved Electrochemiluminescence of Polymer Dots for Array Imaging of Multiplex MicroRNAs.

The development of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emitters remains a great research interest in ECL analysis. Herein, luminol-doped polymer dots (L-Pdots) and diethylamine-coupled Pdots (N-Pdots) were synthesized to design a both potential- and color-resolved ECL strategy. L-Pdots showed the maximum ECL emission at 450 nm in the presence of hydrogen peroxide at +0.6 V, while the maximum emission of N-Pdots was at 675 nm under +1.0 V. This strategy was conveniently used to construct a novel ECL array imaging method for high-throughput detection of two microRNAs (miRNAs). The array was prepared with the mixture of L-Pdots and N-Pdots that were covalently modified with quencher-labeled DNAs, respectively, to recognize the corresponding miRNAs. Upon the addition of duplex-specific nuclease, the DNAs hybridized with miRNAs were digested to release the quenchers and miRNAs, which led to the ECL recovery of Pdots and target-cyclic signal amplification. By imaging the array at +0.6 and +1.0 V and using miRNA-21 and miRNA-205 as the analytes, the blue and red channel images could be extracted to quantify these miRNAs with detection limits of 2.5 and 3.1 pM, respectively. This work provides a new family member of potential- or color-resolved ECL emitters and successfully realizes the simultaneous and high-throughput sensing of multiplex miRNAs.

Polypeptide-b-Poly(Phenyl Isocyanide) Hybrid Rod-Rod Copolymers: One-Pot Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Cell Imaging.

Hybrid rod-rod diblock copolymers, poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate)-poly(4-cyano-benzoic acid 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-cyclohexyl ester) (PBLG-PPI), with determined chirality are facilely synthesized through sequential copolymerization of γ-benzyl-L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (BLG-NCA) and phenyl isocyanide monomers bearing chiral menthyl pendants using a Ni(cod)(bpy) complex as the catalyst in one-pot. Circular dichroism and absorption spectra reveal that each block of the block copolymers possesses a stable helical conformation with controlled helicity in solution due to the induction of chiral pendants. The two diastereomeric polymers self-assemble into helical nanofibrils with opposite handedness due to the different chiral induction of the L- and D-menthyl pendants, confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Deprotection of the benzyl groups of the PBLG segment affords biocompatible amphiphilic diblock copolymers, poly(L-glutamic acid)-poly(4-cyano-benzoic acid 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-cyclohexyl ester) (PLGA-PPI), that can self-assemble into well-defined micelles by cosolvent induced aggregation. Very interestingly, a chiral rhodamine chromophores RhB(D) can be selectively encapsulated into the chiral polymeric micelles, which is efficiently internalized into living cells when directly monitored with a confocal microscope. This contribution will be useful for developing novel rod-rod biocompatible hybrid block copolymers with a controlled helicity, and may also provide unique chiral materials for potential bio-medical applications.

Dexamethasone-Integrated Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Treatment via Multiple Immunomodulatory Mechanisms.

The therapeutic application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has good potential as a treatment strategy for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but traditional MSC therapy still has limitations in effectively modulating immune cells. Herein, we present a promising strategy based on dexamethasone liposome-integrated MSCs (Dexlip-MSCs) for treating SLE via multiple immunomodulatory pathways. This therapeutic strategy prolonged the circulation time of dexamethasone liposomes in vivo, restrained CD4+T-cell proliferation, and inhibited the release of proinflammatory mediators (IFN-γ and TNF-α) by CD4+T cells. In addition, Dexlip-MSCs initiated cellular reprogramming by activating the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling pathway to upregulate the expression of anti-inflammatory factors such as cysteine-rich secretory protein LCCL-containing domain 2 (CRISPLD2) and downregulate the expression of proinflammatory factors. In addition, Dexlip-MSCs synergistically increased the anti-inflammatory inhibitory effect of CD4+T cells through the release of dexamethasone liposomes or Dex-integrated MSC-derived exosomes (Dex-MSC-EXOs). Based on these synergistic biological effects, we demonstrated that Dexlip-MSCs alleviated disease progression in MRL/lpr mice more effectively than Dexlip or MSCs alone. These features indicate that our stem cell delivery strategy is a promising therapeutic approach for clinical SLE treatment.

Recovering carbon fibers from waste CFRPs via pyrolysis-oxidation method: Implications for reuse in remanufactured materials.

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) have gained widespread usage due to their promising physiochemical properties, while this causes large amounts of waste CFRPs worldwide. In this study, carbon fibers were successfully recovered from waste CFRPs through the pyrolysis-oxidation method, and the recovered fibers were reused in remanufacturing the secondary generation CFRPs. Moreover, the individual and interactive effects of pyrolysis-oxidation recovering parameters on the mechanical strength of the resulting remanufactured CFRPs (reCFRPs) were investigated. The recovered carbon fibers displayed surface chemical structures similar to virgin fibers but with high contents of oxygen-containing bonds. The tensile strength retention (TSR) of the reCFRPs was primarily influenced by oxidation temperature. Notably, a higher oxidation temperature, especially exceeding 560 °C, amplified the impact of oxidation duration on the TSR value. Similarly, concerning interlaminar shear strength retention (ISSR), the oxidation stage had a more substantial effect compared to the pyrolysis stage. As the oxidation temperature increased from 500 °C to 600 °C, the ISSR value initially increased and then decreased, irrespective of variations in pyrolysis parameters. Additionally, through integrating the response surface methodology (RSM) analysis and multi-island genetic algorithm (MIGA) global optimization, three recovery strategies, along with the corresponding processing parameters, were proposed to meet diverse requirements. The conclusions could provide valuable insights for optimizing the recovery and reuse of carbon fibers from waste CFRPs.

High-strength and high-toughness ECM films with the potential for peripheral nerve repair.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds are widely applied in the field of regeneration as the result of their irreplaceable biological advantages, and the preparation of ECM scaffolds into ECM hydrogels expands the applications to some extent. However, weak mechanical properties of current ECM materials limit the complete exploitation of ECM's biological advantages. To enable ECM materials to be utilized in applications requiring high strength, herein, we created a kind of new ECM material, ECM film, and evaluated its mechanical properties. ECM films exhibited outstanding toughness with no cracks after arbitrarily folding and crumpling, and dramatically high strength levels of 86 ± 17.25 MPa, the maximum of which was 115 MPa. Such spectacular high-strength and high-toughness films, containing only pure ECM without any crosslinking agents and other materials, far exceed current pure natural polymer gel films and even many composite gel films and synthetic polymer gel films. In addition, both PC12 cells and Schwann cells cultured on the surface of ECM films, especially Schwann cells, showed good proliferation, and the neurite outgrowth of the PC12 cells was promoted, indicating the application potential of ECM film in peripheral nerve repair.

Calvarial cleidocraniodysplasia-like defects with ENU-induced Nell-1 deficiency.

Nell-1, first identified by its overexpression in synostotic cranial sutures, is a novel osteoinductive growth and differentiation factor. To further define Nell-1's role in craniofacial patterning, we characterized defects of the ENU-induced Nell-1-deficient (END) mice, focusing on both intramembranous and endochondral cranial bones. Results showed that calvarial bones of neonatal END mice were reduced in thickness and density, with a phenotype resembling calvarial cleidocraniodysplasia. In addition, a global reduction in osteoblast markers was observed, including reductions in Runx2, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin. Remarkably, detailed analysis of endochondral bones showed dysplasia as well. The chondrocranium in the END mouse showed enrichment for early, proliferating Sox9⁺ chondrocytes, whereas in contrast markers of chondrocytes maturation were reduced. These data suggest that Nell-1 is an important growth factor for regulation of osteochondral differentiation, by regulating both Runx2 and Sox9 expression within the calvarium. In summary, Nell-1 is required for normal craniofacial membranous and endochondral skeletal development.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Lateral Pterygoid Muscle in Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorders and Healthy Volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of functional evaluation of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 119 patients with TMD (23 male and 96 female; mean age ± standard deviation, 41 ± 15 years; 58 bilateral and 61 unilateral involvements for a total of 177 joints) and 20 healthy volunteers (9 male and 11 female; 40 ± 13 years; 40 joints) were included in this prospective study. Based on DTI of the jaw in the resting state, the diffusion parameters, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), λ1, λ2, and λ3 of the superior and inferior heads of the LPM (SHLPM and IHLPM) were measured. Patients with TMD with normal disc position (ND), anterior disc displacement with reduction (ADWR), and anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADWOR) were compared. RESULTS: Patients with TMD overall, and ADWR and ADWOR subgroups had significantly higher ADC, λ1, λ2, and λ3 in both the SHLPM and IHLPM than those in volunteers (p < 0.05 for all), whereas the ND subgroup only had significantly higher ADC and λ1 (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, significant differences in FA in the SHLPM and IHLPM were found between volunteers and ADWOR (p = 0.014 and p = 0.037, respectively). Among the three TMD subgroups, except for λ3 and FA in the ADWR subgroup, ADWR and ADWOR subgroups had significantly higher ADC, λ1, λ2, and λ3 and lower FA than those in the ND group (p < 0.050). There was no significant difference in diffusion variables between ADWR and ADWOR. In ADWOR, the osteoarthritis group had significantly higher λ3 and lower FA values in the IHLPM than those in the non-osteoarthritis group. CONCLUSION: DTI successfully detected functional changes in the LPM in patients with TMD. The unsynchronized diffusivity changes in the LPM in different subgroups of TMD signified the possibility of using diffusion parameters as indicators to identify the severity of LPM hyperfunction at various stages of TMD.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of masticatory muscle dysfunction in unilateral exodontia rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: Occlusal alteration due to tooth loss may cause overload of masticatory muscle and promote muscle dysfunction. This study explored the feasibility of using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate muscle dysfunction in an established unilateral exodontia animal model. METHODS: 6 rabbits were extracted right maxillary molars. T2 mapping, T2* mapping and Iterative Decomposition of water and fat with Echo Asymmetry and Least Square Estimation (IDEAL-IQ) were performed one day before extraction and every 2 weeks (2th~12th week) after extraction. The T2 and T2* values and fat fraction (FF) of bilateral temporal muscle (TM), masseter muscle (MM) and medial pterygoid muscle (MPM) were measured and compared between the extraction side and the contralateral side. Parameters of three monitoring time points (0th, 6th, 12th week) were also analyzed. RESULTS: T2 values of MM on extraction side were significantly higher than those of contralateral side-from fourth week to 12th week after extraction (p < 0.05). T2 values of MM and MPM on extraction side and TM on contralateral side were significantly higher in 12th week than those in 0th week (p < 0.05). And FF of bilateral MM was significantly higher in 12th week than those in 0th week (p < 0.05). T2* value showed no significant difference between extraction side and contralateral side and also at above three time points. CONCLUSION: T2 and T2* value and FF can be used as indicators of masticatory muscle dysfunction. fMRI is expected to be a non-invasive method for in vivo and real-time evaluation of masticatory muscle functional abnormality.

Self-assembled micelle responsive to quick NIR light irradiation for fast drug release and highly efficient cancer therapy.

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been used for designing near infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanocarriers and controllable drug release. However, the need for long-term NIR light irradiation over hours impaired their application efficiency. Here we develop a self-assembled micelle of amphipathic polymer P-DASA which degrades via quick NIR light irradiation. UCNPs and DOX are also encapsulated in the micelle for quick drug release. P-DASA is composed of hydrophilic polyethylene glycol segment and photo-responsive hydrophobic donor-acceptor Stenhouse adduct (DASA). Only 5-min NIR irradiation causes the hydrophilicity conversion of P-DASA and the complete disruption of micelle with DOX fast release of 83.7% in 30 min to achieve highly efficient therapy. Moreover, the P-glycoprotein mediated DOX efflux is also diminished by concomitantly producing NO intracellularly. This micelle demonstrates impressive in vivo therapeutic effect, and thus provides an avenue for highly efficient cancer therapy.

Fabrication of hierarchical layer-by-layer membrane as the photocatalytic degradation of foulants and effective mitigation of membrane fouling for wastewater treatment.

A polyvinylidene fluoride plate sheet membrane coated 3D TiO2/poly (sodium styrenesulfonate) (PSS) photocatalyst layers were fabricated via dip-coating layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. Cationic TiO2 and anionic PSS were alternately stacked on the support membrane via electrostatic interactions. The obtained modified membrane with (TiO2/PSS)7 exhibited optimal versatility under ultraviolet light irradiation in both dead-end and membrane reactor, which showed superior Lanasol Blue 3R (LB) removal rate to membrane filtration and biodegradation. The modified membranes (MM) exhibited good performance in terms of photocatalytic activity of foulant degradation and mitigation of membrane fouling in a membrane reactor. The obtained MM with (TiO2/PSS)7 exhibited optimal versatility under ultraviolet light irradiation in both dead-end and membrane reactors and superior Lanasol Blue 3R removal rate in membrane filtration and biodegradation. The MM (TiO2/PSS)7 possessed excellent antifouling properties by using bovine serum albumin (BSA), as evidenced by the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. Additionally, the TiO2/PSS membrane showed good self-cleaning ability, and the foulants on the membrane surface could be degraded using ultraviolet light irradiation.

Quantitative Analysis of Parotid Gland Secretion Function in Sjögren's Syndrome Patients with Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Sialography.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the secretory function of parotid glands by dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) sialography and determine the clinical performance of this technique in diagnosing and evaluating Sjögren's syndrome (SS) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 29 healthy volunteers (25 women and 4 men; mean age, 34.8 ± 6.3 years; age range, 26-47 years) and 25 primary SS (pSS) patients (23 women and 2 men; mean age, 37.7 ± 7.9 years; age range, 25-50 years) with decreased secretory function. The volume of the parotid gland ducts was precisely measured for both groups at single pre- and 6 post-gustatory-stimulated phases. Time-dependent volume change ratio curves were generated, four parameters were derived from the curves: the slope of the increase in the first post-stimulation phase (slope1st), the peak value, the time-to-peak, the total saliva secretion post-stimulation. All values were used to quantitatively evaluate the secretory function of the parotid gland. The repeated measurement analysis, Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic curve were applied. RESULTS: Time-dependent volume change ratio curves demonstrated that there is a statistically significant difference between the two groups (F = 8.750; p = 0.005). A quickly increasing curve was shown in the volunteer group, whereas a slowly increasing curve was shown in the pSS patient group. The slope1st, peak value and total saliva secretion post-stimulation of the patient group were significantly lower than those of the volunteer group (p = 0.005, p = 0.003, and p = 0.002, respectively). The time-to-peak between the two groups was not significantly different (p = 0.383). The slope1st can be used as a discriminator to diagnose SS patients (p = 0.015; odds ratio = 4.234; area under the curve = 0.726). CONCLUSION: Dynamic MR sialography is proven to be an effective method in evaluating salivary gland function and has a great potential in diagnosing and evaluating pSS patients.

Transplantation of dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorates nephritis in lupus mice.

BACKGROUND: Recently, clinical studies have suggested that transplantation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) were able to alleviate clinical symptoms of refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although dental tissue derived MSCs, including dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cell (PDLSCs), have been reported to possess immunomodulatory functions, whether they can ameliorate SLE symptoms as UC-MSCs remains to be elucidated. METHODS: We assessed the abilities of DPSCs and PDLSCs to treat SLE, cells were transferred intravenously to 28-week old B6/lpr mice. Ten weeks later, mice were sacrificed. Serum anti-dsDNA antibodies and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) were measured by ELISA. Renal pathology was analyzed by H&E, PAS and MASSON staining. Aggregation of IgG and IgM in the glomerulus was examined by immunofluorescence. Frequencies of Th1, Th2, Treg, Th17, Tfh, and plasma cells were determined by surface and intracellular staining. Serum IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and MCP-1 were measured by Milliplex® MAP technology. RESULTS: Same as UC-MSCs, both DPSCs and PDLSCs could efficiently downregulate 24-h proteinuria, anti-dsDNA antibodies and glomerular IgG/IgM in B6/lpr mice. However, DPSCs but not PDLSCs could ameliorate the glomerular lesion in B6/lpr mice. Compared to the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group, percentages of Th1 (CD4+IFNγ+) cells and plasma (B220-CD138+) cells in the spleen were significantly decreased in DPSCs and PDLSCs groups. There was no significant difference in Th2 (CD4+IL4+), Th17 (CD4+IL17+), Tfh (CD4+PD-1+CXCR5+) and Treg (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) cells. Serum IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and MCP-1 levels didn't change after MSCs transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that both DPSCs and PDLSCs can alleviate the disease symptoms of lupus-prone B6/lpr mice. DPSCs are also effective in reducing kidney glomerular lesion and perivascular inflammation infiltration as well as UC-MSCs, suggesting that DPSCs might be another choice for SLE treatment.

FO/MD hybrid system for real dairy wastewater recycling.

This study investigated a forward osmosis and membrane distillation (FO/MD) hybrid system for real dairy wastewater (DWW) recycling. Two types of FO membranes, cellulose triacetate-embedded polyester screen support (CTA-ES) and aquaporin inside (AQP), were employed. Sodium chloride was used as the draw solution. A cross-flow FO cell and an air gap membrane distillation module were established to conduct individual FO experiments and FO/MD experiments. From the experiments, an analysis of the water flux (Jw), reverse draw solute flux (Js), Js/Jw ratio and contaminant rejection was performed. The reverse draw solute flux was determined by monitoring the chlorine ions in the feed solution of the FO process. The study demonstrated that real DWW could be reclaimed by the FO/MD hybrid system for the reuse of urban recycled water or for higher grade utilization. The DWW flux was influenced by feed foulants, the fouling stage as well as membrane properties. Furthermore, the Js/Jw ratios were lower and more invariable for the CTA-ES membrane than for the AQP membrane, suggesting that the CTA-ES membrane had superior filtration performance. A fouled CTA-ES membrane could recover 90% of the flux after membrane cleaning.

Effect of macroporous adsorption resin-membrane bioreactor hybrid system against fouling for municipal wastewater treatment.

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) displays significant advantages in effluent quality, sludge production, footprint, and operation. However, membrane fouling limits the application of MBR. This study investigated membrane fouling in a macroporous adsorption resin-membrane bioreactor hybrid system established by adding macroporous adsorption resin (MAR) into MBR. MAR addition increased the critical flux by 27.97%, indicating that membrane fouling was successfully mitigated. Consequently, comparative experiments were designed to analyze the pathway. MAR addition mitigated external fouling development and improved mixed liquor characteristics, thereby mitigating gel layer formation and sludge floc deposition on the membrane surface. MAR effectively reduced the supernatant viscosity and dissolved COD by adsorbing soluble microbial products. Sludge production decreased because the sludge activity in MAR-MBR was inhibited. The fouled MAR could be regenerated effectively by deionized water and chemical cleaning. This work demonstrated the feasibility of using MAR-MBR to mitigate fouling in municipal wastewater treatment.

Magnetic-Immuno-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Based on DNA Encapsulating Liposome for the Ultrasensitive Detection of P-glycoprotein.

Determination of proteins, especially low-abundance proteins with high sensitivity and specificity, is essential for characterizing proteomes and studying their biochemical functions. Herein, a novel Magnetic-Immuno-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Im-LAMP) based on DNA-encapsulating liposomes (liposome-Im- LAMP), was developed for trace amounts of proteins. To the best of our knowledge, this is our first report about the magnetic Im-LAMP approach based on liposomes encapsulated template DNA as the detection reagent. The DNA template was released from liposomes and then initiated an Im-LAMP reaction, generating the fluorescence signal with high sensitivity and rapidity. This technique was applied for the determination of P-glycoprotein as a model protein. It was demonstrated that the technique exhibited a dynamic response to P-glycoprotein ranging from 1.6*10-2 to 160 pg/ml with a greatly low detection limit of 5*10-3 pg/ml (5 fg/ml) which is substantially better than conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). This ultra sensitivity was attributed to the LAMP reaction initiated by the enormous DNA targets encapsulated in liposomes. This magnetic liposome-Im-LAMP as an alternative approach is attractive for applications in other low-abundance proteins detection in clinical diagnostics.

In vivo morphological and functional evaluation of the lateral pterygoid muscle: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

OBJECTIVE:: To explore the feasibility of morphological and functional evaluation of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in vivo. METHODS:: 30 healthy volunteers underwent DTI with the jaw in the rest position, opening and clenching. Diffusion parameters of the superior head of the LPM (SHLP) and the inferior head of the LPM (IHLP) at different jaw positions were calculated. RESULTS:: When the jaw was in the rest position, λ3 of the SHLP was significantly lower than that of the IHLP; fractional anisotropy (FA) value of the SHLP was significant higher than that of the IHLP. There was no significant difference in λ1, λ2 and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value. During jaw opening, there was significant increase of all three eigenvalues and ADC value, and significant decrease of FA value both at the SHLP and IHLP. Clenching caused a significant increase in the ADC and all three eigenvalues, and caused a significant decrease of FA at the SHLP. However, at the IHLP, the variations of all diffusion parameters by clenching in the intercuspal position showed no significance when compared with those at rest. CONCLUSION:: The morphological and functional changes of LPM fibres caused by jaw movements could be sensitively detected by DTI which may serve as a new and non-invasive method for simultaneously investigating the functional and morphological features of the LPM during jaw movement. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE:: A new application of DTI is proposed for the morphological and functional evaluation of the LPMs. The results show that the significant change of three eigenvalues indicates the activity of the LPM in a specific jaw movement, a finding that shows the potential value of DTI serving as a new and non-invasive method for investigation of the LPM.

An immunohistochemistry study of Sox9, Runx2, and Osterix expression in the mandibular cartilages of newborn mouse.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the spacial expression pattern and functional significance of three key transcription factors related to bone and cartilage formation, namely, Sox9, Runx2, and Osterix in cartilages during the late development of mouse mandible. Immunohistochemical examinations of Sox9, Runx2, and Osterix were conducted in the mandibular cartilages of the 15 neonatal C57BL/6N mice. In secondary cartilages, both Sox9 and Runx2 were weakly expressed in the polymorphic cell zone, strongly expressed in the flattened cell zone and throughout the entire hypertrophic cell zone. Similarly, both transcriptional factors were weakly expressed in the uncalcified Meckel's cartilage while strongly expressed in the rostral cartilage. Meanwhile, Osterix was at an extremely low level in cells of the flattened cell zone and the upper hypertrophic cell zone in secondary cartilages. Surprisingly, Osterix was intensely expressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes in the center of the uncalcified Meckel's cartilage while moderately expressed in part of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the rostral process. Consequently, it is suggested that Sox9 is a main and unique positive regulator in the hypertrophic differentiation process of mandibular secondary cartilages, in addition to Runx2. Furthermore, Osterix is likely responsible for phenotypic conversion of Meckel's chondrocytes during its degeneration.

[The early diagnosis value of EV 71 IgM class antibodies in the hand, foot and mouth disease].

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of detection of IgM antibodies for human enterovirus 71 (EV 71) in early diagnosis for the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). METHOD: The sera and throat swabs from 38 patients which were clinical diagnosis as HFMD, were continuous daily collected in our hospital in 2010. These specimens were detected by EV 71 IgM antibodies assay, real time RT-PCR methods for EV 71 and Enterovirus. RESULTS: Among 38 HFMD patients, the cumulative positive rates of EV 71 IgM antibodies were: 60.5% on day 1, 71.1% on day 2, 81.5% in the first 3-4 days, 92.1% on day 5, 92.1% on day 6, and the positive rate of nucleic acid detected by the real time RT-PCR for EV 71 and Enterovirus were 60.5%, 73.6%. CONCLUSION: The positive rate of EV 71 IgM antibodies in the hand, foot and mouth disease just can occur on day 1, and reach to peak on day 5, which can be used as one of indicators of early diagnosis of hand, foot and mouth disease.