Association between health examination items and body mass index among school children in Hualien, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: To assess the prevalence of obesity and major physical examination items including dental caries, myopia, pinworm, hematuria, and proteinuria among school children in Hualien, Taiwan. In addition, the health status differences between gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and body mass index (BMI) were examined. METHODS: Cross-sectional studies with a total of 11,080 students (age, 7-14 years) in grades 1, 4, and 7 were evaluated for weight, height, routine physical examination, and urine analysis during the 2010 Student Health Examination in Hualien. Frequencies, Chi-square test, and logistic regression were conducted using SPSS. RESULTS: Of the 11,080 students evaluated, 1357 (12.2%) were overweight, and 1421 (12.8%) were obese. There were significant differences in overweight/obese prevalence by gender, by grader, and by levels of residence urbanization. Dental caries, myopia, and obesity were the most prevalent health problems among these students (75.6%, 33.0%, and 12.8%, respectively). In crude and adjusted analyses, research results showed that there were significant differences in the prevalence of major physical examination items between different gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and BMI groups. Girls had a higher prevalence of dental caries, myopia, and hematuria than boys (all p < 0.01), whereas boys had a higher prevalence of pinworm than girls (p = 0.02). Students in higher grades had significantly higher prevalence of myopia, hematuria, and proteinuria (all p < 0.01), whereas students in lower grades had higher prevalence of dental caries and pinworm (p < 0.01). Students with abnormal BMI had lower prevalence of pinworm (p < 0.01). Students residing in suburban and rural areas had higher prevalence of dental caries, pinworm, and hematuria (all p < 0.01), and lower prevalence of myopia than students residing in urban areas (all p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Routine health examination provides an important way to detect students' health problems. Our study elucidated major health problems among school children in Hualien, Taiwan. In addition, the results also indicated that the prevalence of health problems had a significant relationship with gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and BMI. It is suggested that school health interventions should consider students' health profiles along with their risk factors status in planning.

Utility of the 2-Nitrobenzenesulfonamide Group as a Chemical Linker for Enhanced Extracellular Stability and Cytosolic Cleavage in siRNA-Conjugated Polymer Systems.

Herein we report the 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide group as a new chemical linker that responds to the difference in redox potential across the cellular membrane, toward the construction of siRNA-polymer conjugates. PEG-conjugated to siRNA via the 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide group (PEG-sul-siRNA) exhibited highly selective siRNA release under intracellular conditions due to the exclusive presence of the GSH/GST combination in the cell. In addition, siRNA release from PEG-sul-siRNA under extracellular reductive conditions was dramatically suppressed relative to PEG-siRNA conjugates containing a conventional redox-sensitive disulfide linkage (PEG-disulfide-siRNA), indicating the enhanced extracellular stability of the 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide group. The enhanced gene-silencing effect of PEG-sul-siRNA for cultured cells relative to PEG-siRNA, containing a non-cleavable carboxylic amide linkage (PEG-car-siRNA), confirmed the intracellular release of siRNA via the PEG-sul-siRNA system. These results suggest that the 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide group could be a suitable chemical linker alternative to the conventional disulfide group.

Maxillary sinusitis and periapical abscess following periodontal therapy: a case report using three-dimensional evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Maxillary sinusitis may develop from the extension of periodontal disease. In this case, reconstructed three-dimensional images from multidetector spiral computed tomographs were helpful in evaluating periodontal bony defects and their relationship with the maxillary sinus. METHODS: A 42-year-old woman in good general health presented with a chronic deep periodontal pocket on the palatal and interproximal aspects of tooth #14. Probing depths of the tooth ranged from 2 to 9 mm, and it exhibited a Class 1 mobility. Radiographs revealed a close relationship between the root apex and the maxillary sinus. The patient's periodontal diagnosis was localized severe chronic periodontitis. Treatment of the tooth consisted of cause-related therapy, surgical exploration, and bone grafting. A very deep circumferential bony defect at the palatal root of tooth #14 was noted during surgery. After the operation, the wound healed without incidence, but 10 days later, a maxillary sinusitis and periapical abscess developed. To control the infection, an evaluation of sinus and alveolus using computed tomographs was performed, systemic antibiotics were prescribed, and endodontic treatment was initiated. RESULTS: Two weeks after surgical treatment, the infection was relieved with the help of antibiotics and endodontic treatment. Bilateral bony communications between the maxillary sinus and periodontal bony defect of maxillary first molars were shown on three-dimensional computed tomographs. The digitally reconstructed images added valuable information for evaluating the periodontal defects. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional images from spiral computed tomographs (CT) aided in evaluating and treating the close relationship between maxillary sinus disease and adjacent periodontal defects.

Reactive correction of a maxillary incisor in single-tooth crossbite following periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND: The reactive correction of a single tooth anterior crossbite following periodontal therapy is described. This case report provides new information regarding correction of a crossbite relationship and con- firms existing reports of tooth movement following periodontal therapy. METHODS: A 39-year-old woman in good general health presented with a history of recurrent periodontal abscesses of a maxillary incisor. Probing depths of the abscessed tooth ranged from 5 to 12 mm, and class 1 mobility was noted. Radiographs revealed that the tooth had previously been treated endodontically. The patient's periodontal diagnosis was generalized chronic moderate to severe periodontitis. Treatment considerations were complicated by a single-tooth crossbite relationship of the involved incisor and clinical evidence that the periodontal abscess communicated with an apical infection. Treatment of the abscess consisted of cause-related therapy, bone grafting, and occlusal adjustment. RESULTS: Five months after surgical treatment, an edge-to-edge incisal relationship was observed, the first indicator of tooth movement. Further correction to a normal incisal relationship resulted 1 year after modification of the proximal contact. At this time, there was normal probing depth with only slight recession and mobility. Bone fill was radiographically noted. CONCLUSION: It appears that some cases of maxillary incisor crossbite that are complicated by periodontal disease may be corrected, without orthodontic appliances, following periodontal treatment.

Evaluation of thermally crosslinkable chitosan-based nanofibrous mats for the removal of metal ions.

Environmentally sensitive composite nanofibrous mats capable of metal ion adsorption were successfully prepared via electrospinning. The composite nanofibers were fabricated with different ratios of chitosan to thermo-responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-methylolacrylamide) (poly(NIPAAm-co-NMA), PNN). NMA provided the function of thermal crosslinking of the nanofibrous mats to form water-stable nanofibers in aqueous solution. Subsequently, glutaraldehyde was used as a secondary crosslinking agent to increase the gel fraction of the nanofibrous mats. The morphology changes of the nanofibers in different environments were studied. Comparing the nanofibrous mats and films of the same material, the fibrous mats showed significantly increased adsorption of Cu(II). The adsorption amount of Cu(II) on the chitosan/PNN (50/50) nanofibrous mats could reach 79±2 mg/g-mats, and its desorption was relatively effective. The incorporation of poly(NIPAAm-co-NMA) significantly improved the desorption of Cu(II) from the nanofibrous mats. The chitosan/PNN fibrous mats maintained the capacity of Cu(II) adsorption for 4-time regeneration.

Construction and characterization of an electrospun tubular scaffold for small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts: a scaffold membrane approach.

Based on a postulate that the microstructure of a scaffold can influence that of the resulting tissue and hence its mechanical behavior, we fabricated a small-diameter tubular scaffold (∼3 mm inner diameter) that has a microstructure similar to the arterial media using a scaffold membrane approach. Scaffold membranes that contain randomly oriented, moderately aligned, or highly aligned fibers were fabricated by collecting electrospun poly([epsilon]-caprolactone) fibers on a grounded rotating drum at three different drum rotation speeds (250, 1000, and 1500 rpm). Membranes of each type were wrapped around a small-diameter mandrel to form the tubular scaffolds. Particularly, the tubular scaffolds with three different off-axis fiber angles (30, 45, and 60 degree) were formed using membranes that contain aligned fibers. These scaffolds were subjected to biaxial mechanical testing to examine the effects of fiber directions as well as the distribution of fiber orientations on their mechanical properties. The circumferential elastic modulus of the tubular scaffold was closely related to the fiber directions; the larger the off-axis fiber angle the greater the circumferential elastic modulus. The distribution of fiber orientations, on the other hand, manifested itself in the mechanical behavior via the Poisson effect. Similar to cell sheet-based vascular tissue engineering, tubular cell-seeded constructs were prepared by wrapping cell-seeded scaffold membranes, alleviating the difficulty associated with cell seeding in electrospun scaffolds. Histology of the construct illustrated that cells were aligned to the fiber directions in the construct, demonstrating the potential to control the microstructure of tissue-engineered vascular grafts using the electrospun scaffold membrane.

Computer-assisted orientation of dental periapical radiographs to the occlusal plane.

OBJECTIVE: This study describes a computer assisted orientation method for digital dental periapical radiographs. STUDY DESIGN: Four hundred twenty dental periapical radiographs were collected for this experiment. To locate the air space for orientation, they were processed by dedicated computer software. The program included binary image transformations, thresholding segmentation, quartering, characterization, and label interpretation. The results were then compared with those of an experienced dentist. RESULTS: The most accurate threshold values for locating the air space can be obtained between gray levels 45 and 47, with an accuracy of 98.10% (412 out of 420) and no uninterpretable images. The accuracy did not drop unless the threshold value was adjusted to 25 (91.67%) or 75 (91.90%). CONCLUSIONS: The strategy adopted in this study proved to be an effective and simple approach to orient the dental periapical radiographs to the occlusal plane. Errors in interpretation in a small percentage of the radiographs were caused by anatomic variations of the patients.

Novel method of forming human embryoid bodies in a polystyrene dish surface-coated with a temperature-responsive methylcellulose hydrogel.

A temperature-responsive hydrogel composed of aqueous methylcellulose (MC) blended with distinct concentrations of PBS was prepared and characterized. The developed MC hydrogel underwent a sol-gel reversible transition upon heating or cooling at approximately 32 degrees C. This temperature-responsive hydrogel was employed to coat the surface of a polystyrene dish and used to cultivate human embryonic stem (hES) cell clumps for the formation of embryoid bodies (EBs) in liquid suspension culture (LSC-MC/PS). The conventional hanging drop culture (HDC) and LSC in the uncoated polystyrene dish (LSC-PS) or in the Corning Ultralow-Attachment plate (LSC-ULAP) were used as controls. The results indicated that LSC-PS failed to generate EBs in an efficient manner, whereas the efficiencies of EB formation observed in LSC-ULAP and LSC-MC/PS were significantly greater than in HDC. The hES cells within the EBs were shown to express molecular markers specific for representative cells from the three embryonic germ layers. These results indicated that the MC-coated dish can be used to produce a large scale of hES cell derivatives through the formation of EBs.