Reliability and Validity of the CLEFT-Q in a Chinese Context.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an appropriate Chinese version of the CLEFT-Q through translation and cultural adaptation and to evaluate its reliability and validity. DESIGN: The English CLEFT-Q was translated into Chinese following the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines, including cognitive debriefing interviews, and its reliability and validity were assessed. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N = 246) were mostly in active orthodontic treatment, had a mean age of 14.7 ± 4.4 years, 29% were female, and were born with isolated cleft lip ± alveolus (12%), cleft palate (1%), or cleft lip and palate (87%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Chinese CLEFT-Q, including 13 subscales covering Appearance, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), and Facial Function. Criterion validity instruments included the Negative Physical Self, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience. RESULTS: The wording of 67 items was adapted in the final translation. The internal consistency of the Chinese version of the CLEFT-Q was high based on Cronbach's alphas of 0.85 to 0.98 and split-half reliability of 0.85 to 0.92. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded three factors, which demonstrated construct validity by broadly matching the structure of the original CLEFT-Q. The Appearance and HRQOL dimensions had weak to moderate correlations (r = -0.35 to 0.67) with the corresponding instruments for criterion validity. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of the CLEFT-Q is a patient-reported outcome measure that can reflect the quality of life of Chinese patients with cleft lip and/or palate with good reliability and validity.

Long-term porosity and retreatability of oval-shaped canals obturated using two different methods with a novel tricalcium silicate sealer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the percentage volume of voids and gaps in oval-shaped canals obturated using two different methods with a tricalcium silicate-based sealer after short- or long-term storage. The long-term effect of storage on the efficiency of removing filling material was also investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty premolar teeth with oval-shaped canals were instrumented to Reciproc R25 and obturated using single cone obturation (SCO) or warm vertical compaction (WVC) techniques with gutta-percha and HiFlow sealer. The specimens were stored at 100% humidity and 37°C for 2 weeks or 6 months and scanned using micro-computed tomography. Initial retreatment was performed up to a Reciproc R40, and the operating time was recorded. The residual material in the canal received a supplementary procedure using XP-endo Finisher R (XPFR) files. After each retreatment procedure, the specimens were rescanned. RESULTS: The percentage volume of voids and gaps in the SCO group was higher than that of the WVC group at both 2 weeks and 6 months (P < 0.05). The percentage volume of the filling material removed after initial retreatment and XPFR cleaning was significantly higher in the 6-month group than in the 2-week groups (P < 0.05). The proportion of the residual material decreased significantly when XPFR files were used, compared to the initial retreatment group (P < 0.05) in both storage times. CONCLUSION: The efficiency of retreatment in the oval-shaped canal was closely related to the storage time rather than the filling technique using a tricalcium silicate sealer. The XPFR instrument proved effective in the removal of the remaining materials from the oval-shaped canal. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Obturation of the oval-shaped canal with TSBS using the SCO technique in the coronal area needs to be optimized. The retreatment was less efficacious in freshly filled canals than aged filled canals.

Preparation of porous polymers based on high internal phase emulsion for enrichment of estrogens in urine.

In this work, graphene oxide-hybridized high internal emulsion polymers with crosslinking and open-cell structure was prepared and applied for separation and enrichment of estrogens. The prepared graphene oxide-hybridized high internal emulsion polymer monoliths had hydrophobicity, porosity and stability, which were just obtained by one step in-situ emulsion polymerization of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and divinylbenzene after doping with graphene oxide. Benefit from the advantages of its unique character, the graphene oxide-hybridized high internal emulsion polymers monolith with low background pressure (85 kPa) and high mechanical strength could be applied for efficient separation for trace estrogens in urine. Under the optimized condition, trace estrogens, including estrone, estradiol, and diethylstilbestrol in urine, were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography, all the sample preparation process were carried out in 15 min, the recovery rate was ranged from 85.0 to 106.0% and the relative standard deviation was less than 4.

Selective enrichment of glycopeptides based on copper tetra(N-carbonylacrylic) aminephthalocyanine and iminodiacetic acid functionalized polymer monolith.

Efficient separation and enrichment of low-abundance glycopeptides from complex biological samples is the key to the discovery of disease biomarkers. In this work, a new material was prepared by coating copper tetra(N-carbonylacrylic) aminephthalocyanine and iminodiacetic acid onto poly(glycidyl methacrylate-pentaerythritol triacrylate) monolith. The monolith was applied to polymer monolithic microextraction for specific capture of glycopeptides coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The developed monolith exhibited satisfactory efficiency for glycopeptide enrichment with high selectivity and detection sensitivity. When the tryptic digest of immunoglobulin G was used as the sample, total 24 glycopeptides were identified and the detection limit was determined as 5 fmol. When the approach was applied to the analysis of glycopeptides in the mixture of bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G (100:1, m/m) digests, 16 glycopeptides could still be observed. Moreover, the monolith was successfully applied to the selective enrichment of glycopeptides from human serum digests, exhibiting great practicability in identifying low-abundance glycopeptides in complex biological samples.

Activity and Thermal Stability of Cobalt(II)-Based Olefin Polymerization Catalysts Adorned with Sterically Hindered Dibenzocycloheptyl Groups.

Five examples of unsymmetrical 2-(2,4-bis(dibenzocycloheptyl)-6-methylphenyl- imino)ethyl)-6-(1-(arylyimino)ethyl)pyridine derivatives (aryl = 2,6-Me2C6H3 in L1; 2,6-Et2C6H3 in L2; 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3 in L3; 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 in L4 and 2,6-Et2-4-MeC6H2 in L5) were prepared and characterized. Treatment with CoCl2 offered the corresponding cobalt precatalysts Co1-Co5, which were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. The molecular structures of Co3 and Co4 determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed distorted square pyramidal geometries with τ5 values of 0.052-0.215. Activated with either MAO or MMAO, the precatalysts displayed high activities in ethylene polymerization, where Co1 with the least bulky substituents exhibited a peak activity of 1.00 × 107 g PE mol-1 (Co) h-1 at 60 °C. With MAO as a cocatalyst, the activity was reduced only by one order of magnitude at 90 °C, which implies thermally stable active sites. The polymerization product was highly linear polyethylene with vinyl end groups. Co3 with the most sterically hindered active sites was capable of generating polyethylene of high molecular weight, reaching 6.46 × 105 g mol-1. Furthermore, high melting point and unimodal molecular weight distribution were observed in the resulting polyethylene. It must be stressed that the thermal stability of the catalyst and the molecular weight of the obtained polyethylene attain the highest values reported for the unsymmetrical 2,6-bis(imino)pyridylcobalt (II) chloride precatalysts.

Highly Linear Polyethylenes Achieved Using Thermo-Stable and Efficient Cobalt Precatalysts Bearing Carbocyclic-Fused NNN-Pincer Ligand.

Six examples of 2-(1-arylimino)ethyl-9-arylimino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrocycloheptapyridine-cobalt(II) chloride complexes, [2-(1-ArN)C2H3-9-ArN-5,6,7,8-C5H8C5H3N]CoCl2, (Ar = 2-(C5H9)-6-MeC6H3 Co1, 2-(C6H11)-6-MeC6H3 Co2, 2-(C8H15)-6-MeC6H3 Co3, 2-(C5H9)-4,6-Me2C6H2 Co4, 2-(C6H11)-4,6-Me2C6H2 Co5, and 2-(C8H15)-4,6-Me2C6H2 Co6), were synthesized by the direct reaction of the corresponding ortho-cycloalkyl substituted carbocyclic-fused bis(arylimino)pyridines (L1⁻L6) and cobalt(II) chloride in ethanol with good yields. All the synthesized ligands (L1⁻L6) and their corresponding cobalt complexes (Co1⁻Co6) were fully characterized by FT-IR, ¹H/13C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The crystal structure of Co2 and Co3 revealed that the ring puckering of both the ortho-cyclohexyl/cyclooctyl substituents and the one pyridine-fused seven-membered ring; a square-based pyramidal geometry is conferred around the metal center. On treatment with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), all the six complexes showed high activities (up to 4.09 × 106 g of PE mol-1 (Co) h-1) toward ethylene polymerization at temperatures between 20 °C and 70 °C with the catalytic activities correlating with the type of ortho-cycloalkyl substituent: Cyclopentyl (Co1 and Co4) > cyclohexyl (Co2 and Co5) > cyclooctyl (Co3 and Co6) for either R = H or Me and afforded strictly linear polyethylene (Tm > 130 °C). The narrow unimodal distributions of the resulting polymers are consistent with single-site active species for the precatalyst. Furthermore, compared to the previously reported cobalt analogues, the titled precatalysts exhibited good thermo-stability (up to 70 °C) and possessed longer lifetime along with a higher molecular weight of PE (Mw: 9.2~25.3 kg mol-1).

Cobalt Phthalocyanine Tetracarboxylic Acid Functionalized Polymer Monolith for Selective Enrichment of Glycopeptides and Glycans.

In this study, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) monolith functionalized with cobalt phthalocyanine tetracarboxylic acid is prepared. The polymer monolithic material is used for glycopeptides enrichment coupled with MALDI-TOF MS. By taking advantage of cobalt phthalocyanine including hydrogen bonds between isoindole subunits of phthalocyanine and glycans, coordination interaction between cobalt and glycopeptides, the monolithic material is successfully applied to the enrichment of glycopeptides efficiently and selectively. With IgG and horse radish peroxidase as the model glycoproteins, 28 and 17 glycopeptides could be identified respectively after enrichment with the monolith, only four and three glycopeptides could be obtained for direct analysis. The monolith is also employed to the digests mixture of BSA and IgG (50:1, m/m), indicating the high enrichment selectivity of glycopeptides even in the presence of a large interference ratio. The detection limit is determined to be 6.7 fmol, implying that the present method had great potential for trace sample analysis. In addition, the monolith was successfully applied to the enrichment of N-linked glycans in human serum samples, demonstrating its great potential for the analysis of glycoproteins.

Edge smoothness enhancement in DMD scanning lithography system based on a wobulation technique.

The resolution of digital micro-mirror device (DMD) scanning lithography is limited in the transverse direction (the scanning direction is vertical) as a result of the compacted size of the DMD micro-mirror and the low magnification of the projection lens. Above-stated restrictions lead to an unsatisfactory saw-tooth edge (size ~one DMD pixel) after the lithography process within all directions except for the scanning orientation. In order to smooth the edge, an optimized sub-pattern construction method, described as the combination of wobulation techniques and the continuous scanning lithography process, is proposed. Afterward, lithography experiments were implemented by introducing the wobulation techniques within the DMD scanning lithography system. The experimental results show that the saw-tooth edge is reduced to nearly 0.5 pixel size after 1/2 pixel dislocation superposition exposure, and is even scaled down to less than 0.1 pixel after 1/4 pixel dislocation superposition exposure. At this point, the edge of the lithography pattern is appropriately smoothed. The effectiveness of the above-mentioned method that improves the edge smoothness of the lithography pattern is demonstrated.

The relationship between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and deciduous tooth decay in Chinese children.

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we explored the link between vitamin D receptor (VDR) BsmI, TaqI, ApaI and FokI gene polymorphisms with deciduous tooth decay in Chinese children. METHODS: Our study included 380 Chinese children aged 4-7 years, whose DNA sample was collected from the buccal mucosa. VDR gene polymorphisms was determined by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The adjusted logistic regression analysis demonstrated that BsmI containing the Bb genotype was linked with the increased risk of deciduous tooth decay (OR = 1.856, 95% CI = [1.184, 2.908], p = 0.007). However, VDR polymorphisms ApaI, TaqI and FokI were not associated with deciduous tooth decay (ApaI: OR = 0.839, 95% CI = [0.614, 1.145], p = 0.268; TaqI: OR = 1.150, 95% CI = [0.495, 2.672], p = 0.744; FokI: OR = 0.856, 95% CI = [0.616, 1.191], p = 0.356). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that VDR BsmI polymorphism was associated with the risk of deciduous tooth decay in Chinese children aged 4-7 years. However, the specific mechanism remains to further verify through experiment.

An experimental study addressing the promotion of mandibular defect repair through the intermittent subcutaneous injection of parathyroid hormone.

PURPOSE: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a major regulator of bone metabolism. Various animal studies and clinical trials have addressed the treatment of osteoporosis and fracture healing with the intermittent administration of PTH, whereas few studies have investigated the effects of PTH on mandibular defect repair. This study sought to examine the feasibility of using recombinant human PTH (rhPTH) to promote the repair of mandibular defects and to provide a preliminary investigation of the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mandibular defect model was established using Japanese white rabbits. The experimental animals were randomly divided into a control group that received postoperative subcutaneous injections of normal saline on alternate days and an experimental group that received postoperative subcutaneous injections of rhPTH 25 µg on alternate days. The experimental animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the operation to perform x-ray imaging and bone histomorphometric examinations of the defect areas. Changes in serum levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bALP) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) over time were examined. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the experimental group exhibited newly generated bone matrix in the mandibular defect area at earlier stages. In the experimental group, the bone trabeculae were arranged in an orderly manner, and uniform calcification was observed. Marked hyperplasia of osteoblasts was observed in the new bone tissue of the experimental group, but significantly less hyperplasia of osteoblasts was observed in the control group. In the 2 groups, the average serum bALP and OPG levels increased after the operation and then gradually decreased. In the experimental group, levels of bALP and OPG at 1 week and 2 weeks after the operation were significantly different from preoperative levels. In the control group, the OPG level at 2 weeks after the operation was significantly different from the preoperative OPG level. A comparison of serum bALP and OPG levels at each examined time point showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: The intermittent subcutaneous injection of rhPTH 25 µg/day promotes the healing of mandibular defects in rabbits. The application of rhPTH may facilitate mandible regeneration by increasing quantities of osteoblasts, accelerating bone turnover metabolism, and upregulating OPG levels.

Study on the imbalance of M1/M2 macrophage polarization in severe chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Macrophages commonly exist in two distinct subsets in different microenvironments: classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). The imbalance of M1-M2 macrophage polarization is often related to various diseases or inflammatory states. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an imbalance in the expression of M1 and M2 macrophage-related cytokines in severe chronic periodontitis. METHODS: A total of 30 clinical specimens, including severe chronic periodontitis tissues (n= 15) and healthy control tissues (n= 15), were used in this study. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot methods were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage-related cytokines (inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)) and M2 macrophage-related cytokines (arginase-1 (Arg-1) and STAT6), respectively. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage-related cytokines (iNOS and STAT1) and M2 macrophage-related cytokines (Arg-1 and STAT6) were significantly increased in severe chronic periodontitis patients. In addition, the ratios of iNOS/Arg-1 and STAT1/STAT6 in the severe chronic periodontitis group were also significantly increased (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: The imbalance of M1/M2 macrophages exists in the pathogenesis of severe chronic periodontitis, and has a tendency towards M1 polarization. Therefore, maintaining the immune balance of M1/M2 macrophages may be a novel therapeutic alternative for the management of severe chronic periodontitis.

CRISPR/Cas9 mutated p-coumaroyl shikimate 3'-hydroxylase 3 gene in Populus tomentosa reveals lignin functioning on supporting tree upright.

The lignin plays one of the most important roles in plant secondary metabolism. However, it is still unclear how lignin can contribute to the impressive height of wood growth. In this study, C3'H, a rate-limiting enzyme of the lignin pathway, was used as the target gene. C3'H3 was knocked out by CRISPR/Cas9 in Populus tomentosa. Compared with wild-type popular trees, c3'h3 mutants exhibited dwarf phenotypes, collapsed xylem vessels, weakened phloem thickening, decreased hydraulic conductivity and photosynthetic efficiency, and reduced auxin content, except for reduced total lignin content and significantly increased H-subunit lignin. In the c3'h3 mutant, the flavonoid biosynthesis genes CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANR, and LAR were upregulated, and flavonoid metabolite accumulations were detected, indicating that decreasing the lignin biosynthesis pathway enhanced flavonoid metabolic flux. Furthermore, flavonoid metabolites, such as naringenin and hesperetin, were largely increased, while higher hesperetin content suppressed plant cell division. Thus, studying the c3'h3 mutant allows us to deduce that lignin deficiency suppresses tree growth and leads to the dwarf phenotype due to collapsed xylem and thickened phloem, limiting material exchanges and transport.

Electrospun nanofibers containing chitosan-stabilized bovine serum albumin nanoparticles for bone regeneration.

Bone tissue engineering is becoming a key approach in bone repair and regeneration. In the present study, we fabricated a nanofiber scaffold containing chitosan-stabilized bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles for the delivery of abaloparatide and aspirin (ASA). The chitosan-stabilized BSA nanoparticles acted as a release barrier for the encapsulated abaloparatide. Polymeric nanofibers were produced by electrospinning from a mixture of abaloparatide-loaded nanoparticles, ASA, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), and nanohydroxyapatite (n-HA). The nanoparticle and nanofiber scaffolds were characterized in terms of their morphology, construction, surface hydrophilicity, degradation, and drug release efficiency. In vitro osteogenesis as well as in vitro cell adhesion, viability, and proliferation were determined to assess their osteoinductive activity. The results showed that the drugs were successfully encapsulated in the scaffolds. Most of the ASA was released within seven days, whereas abaloparatide was released for more than 30 days. The dual-drug-loaded nanofiber scaffolds enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts. These findings indicate that electrospun nanofibers containing chitosan-stabilized BSA nanoparticles may be useful in bone tissue engineering.

Nicotine in Inflammatory Diseases: Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-Inflammatory Effects.

As an anti-inflammatory alkaloid, nicotine plays dual roles in treating diseases. Here we reviewed the anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects of nicotine on inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, sepsis, endotoxemia, myocarditis, oral/skin/muscle inflammation, etc., mainly concerning the administration methods, different models, therapeutic concentration and duration, and relevant organs and tissues. According to the data analysis from recent studies in the past 20 years, nicotine exerts much more anti-inflammatory effects than pro-inflammatory ones, especially in ulcerative colitis, arthritis, sepsis, and endotoxemia. On the other hand, in oral inflammation, nicotine promotes and aggravates some diseases such as periodontitis and gingivitis, especially when there are harmful microorganisms in the oral cavity. We also carefully analyzed the nicotine dosage to determine its safe and effective range. Furthermore, we summarized the molecular mechanism of nicotine in these inflammatory diseases through regulating immune cells, immune factors, and the vagus and acetylcholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways. By balancing the "beneficial" and "harmful" effects of nicotine, it is meaningful to explore the effective medical value of nicotine and open up new horizons for remedying acute and chronic inflammation in humans.

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics during gestation and lactation induces hepatic and testicular toxicity in male mouse offspring.

Nanoplastics have raised considerable concerns since their ubiquity in the environment and potential hazard to health. It has been proven that polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) can be maternally transferred to the offspring. In this study, mice were exposed gestationally and lactationally to PS-NPs (size 100 nm) at different doses (0.1, 1 and 10 mg/L) to investigate the trans-generational poisonousness. Our data illustrated that maternal PS-NPs exposure in pregnancy and lactation resulted in a decline in birth and postnatal body weight in offspring mice. Furthermore, high-dose PS-NPs reduced liver weight, triggered oxidative stress, caused inflammatory cell infiltration, up-regulated proinflammatory cytokine expression, and disturbed glycometabolism in the liver of male offspring mice. In addition, pre- and postnatal PS-NPs exposure diminished testis weight, disrupted seminiferous epithelium and decreased sperm count in mouse offspring. Moreover, PS-NPs induced testicular oxidative injury, as presented by increased malondialdehyde generation and altered superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the testis of offspring mice. These findings declared that maternal exposure to PS-NPs in pregnancy and lactation can cause hepatic and testicular toxicity in male mouse pups, which put forward new understanding into the detrimental effects of nanoplastics on mammalian offspring.

Polyacrylamide/Copper-Alginate Double Network Hydrogel Electrolyte with Excellent Mechanical Properties and Strain-Sensitivity.

The double network (DN) hydrogel has attracted great attention due to its wide applications in daily life. However, synthesis DN hydrogel with excellent mechanical properties is still a big challenge. Here, polyacrylamide/copper-alginate double network (PAM/Cu-alg DN) hydrogel electrolyte is successfully synthesized by radiation-induced polymerization and cross-linking process of acrylamide with N, N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide and subsequent cupric ion (Cu2+ ) crosslinking of alginate. The content of sodium alginate, absorbed dose, and the concentration of Cu2+ are investigated in detail for improving the overall properties of PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel electrolyte. The PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel electrolyte synthesizes by radiation technique and Cu2+ crosslinking shows superior mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 2.25 ± 0.02 MPa, excellent energy dissipation mechanism, and the high ionic conductivity of 4.08 ± 0.17 mS cm-1 . PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel is characterized with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses and the reason for the improvement of mechanical properties is illustrated. Furthermore, PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel electrolyte exhibits excellent strain-sensitivity, cyclic stability, and durability. This work paves for the new way for the preparation of DN hydrogel electrolytes with excellent properties.

Constructing zwitterionic polymer brush layer to enhance gravity-driven membrane performance by governing biofilm formation.

In this study, zwitterionic polymer brushes with controlled architecture were grafted on the surface of gravity-driven membrane (GDM) via surface-initiated reaction to impart antifouling property. A variety of membrane characterization techniques were conducted to demonstrate the successful functionalization of zwitterionic polymers on PVDF hollow fiber membrane. The membrane underwent 90 min of reaction time possessing strong hydrophilicity and high permeability was determined as the optimal modified membrane. Long-term GDM dynamic fouling experiments operated for 30 days using sewage wastewater as feed solution indicated zwitterionic polymer modified membrane exhibit excellent membrane fouling resistance thus enhanced stable flux. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging implied that zwitterionic polymer modification significantly inhibit the adsorption of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which dominates fouling propensity, resulting in the formation of a thin biofilm with high porosity under synthetic functions of foulants deposition and microbial activities. Interfacial free energy prediction affirmed the presence of zwitterionic functional layer on membrane surface could substantially decrease the interactions (e.g., electrostatic attractions and hydrophobic effects) between membrane and foulants, thereby reduced flux decline and high stable flux. Our study suggests surface hydrophilic functionalization shows promising potential for improving the performance of ultra-low pressure filtration.

[Preparation of cobalt phthalocyanine functionalized polymer monolith and application to enrichment of transferrin glycopeptides].

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) (Poly(GMA-EDMA)) monolith functionalized with cobalt phthalocyanine tetracarboxylic acid (CoPcTc) was prepared. The monolith was used for transferrin (Tf) glycopeptide enrichment. By taking advantage of hydrogen bonds between isoindole subunits of phthalocyanine and glycans and coordination interaction between cobalt and glycopeptides, the monolithic material was efficient and selective. After enrichment of transferrin through the functionalized monolith, 17 glycopeptides were identified by electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. When the concentration of transferrin was reduced to 8.8×10-10mol/L, three glycopeptides could still be obtained. The present method has great potential for trace sample analysis.

[Distribution, Source and Human Exposure of Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) in Surface Dust in Urban Area of Xi'an City, China].

A total of 58 surface dust samples were collected in urban area of Xi'an City. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze the concentrations of six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) listed as priority pollutants by United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Composition, distribution, environmental sources and exposure characteristics of PAEs in the surface dust were further studied. All analyzed PAEs were detected in the surface dust. The concentration of individual PAE compounds varied from not detectable to 183.19 mg·kg-1 and their mean concentrations decreased in the order of DEHP>DnBP >>DEP >DMP >BBP >DnOP. The total concentration of six PAEs (∑6PAEs) ranged from 0.87 to 250.30 mg·kg-1 with an average of 40.48 mg·kg-1, and followed the order of parks >traffic area >mixed business and traffic area >residential area >educational area >industrial area. The ∑6PAEs presented the decreasing trend along the main urban area - the second ring road - the third ring road. The results of correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed that PAEs in surface dust of Xi'an City were related to the application of plasticizers, the emission of cosmetics and personal care products along with building materials and home decoration materials. The dose order of human exposure to PAEs in surface dust was the direct ingestion by hand and mouth >>dermal adsorption >inhalation via mouth and nose. Meanwhile, the intake dose of children was higher than that of adults. However, the intake dose of DnBP, DEHP, DBP and BBP was lower than the tolerable daily intake (TDI) suggested by European Union Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (EU CSTEE) and the reference doses (RfD) proposed by U.S. EPA.

Application of IMF screws to assist internal rigid fixation of jaw fractures: our experiences of 168 cases.

Intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screws were first introduced to achieve IMF as a kind of bone borne appliance for jaw fractures in 1989. Because this method can overcome many disadvantages associated with tooth borne appliance, IMF screws have been popularly used for jaw fractures since then. From March 2011 to February 2014, we treated 168 cases with single or multiple jaw fractures by open reduction and a total of 705 IMF screws were intraoperatively applied in all the cases to achieve IMF and maintain dental occlusion as an adjuvant to open reduction. The numbers, implantation sites and complications of IMF screws were retrospectively analyzed. In our experience, we found that IMF screws were important to assist open reduction of jaw fractures but their roles should be objectively assessed and the reliability of open reduction and internal rigid fixation must be emphasized. Much attention should be paid when implanting.