[Further promotion effect of variable temperature drying on effective components in roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba].

To study the effects of different variable temperature drying modes on active components of roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba, and provide basis for its industrialized drying process. In order to ensure the content of active components, variable temperature drying modes were designed: low temperature at 30 ℃ and high temperature at 60 ℃, low temperature at 30 ℃ and high temperature at 70 ℃, low temperature at 30 ℃ and high temperature at 80 ℃, low temperature at 40 ℃ and high temperature at 60 ℃, low temperature at 40 ℃ and high temperature at 70 ℃, low temperature at 40 ℃ and high temperature at 80 ℃ and air dry oven was used for variable temperature drying process. Then HPLC method was used to determine the changes of active components in roots of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba under different temperature modes; and SPSS 17.0 was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the samples, which were first dried at 40 ℃ for six hours and then dried at 80 ℃ for three hours, had the highest contents in dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone Ⅰ and tanshinone ⅡA as compared with other kinds of drying methods, and the contents were 0.35, 2.76, 0.78, 4.47 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. Additionally, as compared with samples dried in the shade, the contents of dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone Ⅰ were increased 2.9% (P>0.05), 45.3% (P<0.05) and 34.5% (P<0.05), respectively; however, the content of tanshinone ⅡA was decreased by 44.1% (P<0.05). The water-soluble active components (rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B) of roots of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba, had the highest contents when the samples were first dried at 30 ℃ for six hours and then 70 ℃ for three hours, and the contents were 3.83,55.44 mg•g⁻¹, increased by 62.3% (P<0.05) and 109.1% (P<0.05) respectively as compared with the samples dried in the shade. Variable temperature drying can significantly affect the contents of active components in roots of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba. As compared with the traditional process of shade-drying process, low temperature drying can significantly increase the content of water-soluble active components and also with significant promotion effect on the liposoluble components such as tanshinone ⅡA, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone Ⅰ. The variable temperature drying mode, can effectively shorten the process of drying and provide theoretical basis for industrial processing of roots of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba.

Comparative analysis of upper airway volume with lateral cephalograms and cone-beam computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the adenoidal nasopharyngeal ratio (ANR) on lateral cephalograms by assessing upper airway volumes using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images as the validation method. METHODS: Fifty-five patients were included in the study, and it was essential that the lateral cephalograms and CBCT images taken at their examinations were not more than 1 week apart. There were 32 subjects in group A (age ≤15 years) and 23 subjects in group B (age >15 years). The ANR was measured on the lateral cephalograms. The area and volumetric measurements of the nasopharynx and the total upper airway were obtained from CBCT images. Repeated measurements of the ANR and airway volume were performed on 10 subjects by 2 observers. RESULTS: Group A had a higher correlation (r = -0.78) between the ANR and the nasopharynx volume than did group B (r = -0.57). The ANR had a weak correlation with the total upper airway volume (group A, r = -0.48; group B, r = -0.32). Both measurements made on lateral cephalograms and CBCT were highly reproducible in terms of intraobserver and interobserver agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, the measurement of the ANR on lateral cephalograms can be used as an initial screening method to estimate the nasopharynx volumes of younger patients (age ≤15 years).

Cloning and characterization of a novel cathepsin B-like cysteine proteinase from Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

Cysteine protease plays a key role in host-parasite interactions. In this study, we identified a novel gene encoding a cathepsin B-like cysteine protease (AcCBL1) from the cDNA library of Angiostrongysus cantonensis fourth-stage larvae (L4) and characterized its biological role in the parasite. Sequence and phylogeny analysis showed that AcCBL1 is related to other cathepsin B family members with the conserved catalytic triad (Cys, His, Asn) and diagnostic occluding loop. In addition, the sequence contains a specific "hemoglobinase motif" and might have a hemoglobinase (Hb)-degrading function. The recombinant AcCBL1 (rAcCBL1) exhibited the protease activity by gelation SDS/PAGE assay; rAcCBL1 can cleave the fluorogenic substrate Z-Arg-Arg-AMC, and the optimum pH was 5.5. The enzyme can hydrolyse several host proteins including Hb and human IgG in acidic pH, but low levels of hydrolysis were observed in neutral pH. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that AcCBL1 expression was detected throughout various developmental stages, L3, L4, adult male and female worms. Western blotting analysis indicated that AcCBL1 was an excretory/secretory product of L4 in mature form of protease. Immunolocalization demonstrated that AcCBL1 was mainly localized in the intestine of L4. These results suggest that rAcCBL1 may play an important role in the parasite nutrition uptake.

[Pathological change in the brain of mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the pathological change in the brain of Angiostrongylus cantonensis-infected mouse. METHODS: Forty-eight mice were orally infected each with 40 third stage larvae of A. cantonensis, 3 mice were sacrificed at 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 days postinfection respectively for worm recovery, and another 3 mice were for observing the histopathological change in tissue sections of the brain. RESULTS: Ten days postinfection, worms were found in the brain of the infected mice with a mean worm number of (7.0+/-1.7) per mouse. The highest number of worms was found at 16 days postinfection, with a mean of (23.7+/-4.9) per mouse. Notable symptoms of nervous system were seen on 15 days postinfection. Most mice died around 22 days postinfection. Histological examination revealed mechanical damages. Cavities and inflammation were observed in the brain parenchyma. Worms were seen in the subarachnoid space. Meningitis-like signs started at 13 days and aggravated then. CONCLUSIONS: Infection of A. cantonensis causes pathological change in mouse brain and the process is aggravating with postinfection time.

[Three-dimensional survey of the whole mandibular canal and mandibular morphology by cone beam computed tomography in normal young people].

OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to analyze the three-dimensional position of mandibular canal (MC) and man of MC and its relationship with the surrounding structures dibular morphology of normal young males and females by using data from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), as well as to provide an anatomical basis for clinical surgery of the mandible. METHODS: Normal occlusion and CBCT scans of 29 normal young people were conducted. InVivo 5 software was used to reconstruct the mandible, anchor the points, and measure the jaw shape and three-dimensional course of MC. All measurements were analyzed with SSPS 17.0 software. RESULTS: The MC lingual bone cortex was thinner than the MC buccal bone cortex, and the distance of the MC to the buccal bone cortex gradually increased. However, the distance of the MC to the tongue bone cortex and alveolar crest gradually decreased from proximal to distal. In addition, the distance of the MC to the mandibular lower margin was minimal at the first molar and reached the maximum at the second premolar. No significant difference was observed among the heights, widths, and thicknesses of the left and right sides of the cortical bone of the mandibular body cross sections. From the midline to the farthest point, the height and lower one-third thickness of the lingual cortical bone of the mandibular body cross sections gradually decreased, whereas the width of the upper cross section and upper one-third thickness of the buccal cortical bone gradually increased. Significant difference was observed in some measured values. CONCLUSION: After MC enter into the mandibular foramen, it moved away from the lingual to the buccal bone but gradually returned to the lingual bone; its general course is closer to the lingual bone. The mandibles of males are thicker than those of females. CBCT can accurately display the course of MC and its relationship with the surrounding structures.

Survival of a newborn from a pregnant woman with rabies infection.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is very common in People's Republic of China. Each year thousands of people die because of this disease, but rabies diagnosed in pregnancy is very rare. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we report the case of a pregnant woman who was infected with the rabies virus after a dog bite. The symptoms of rabies appeared in labor and she died after pregnancy. Her baby and husband did not develop the disease. CONCLUSION: The phenomenon that the newborn infant was healthy may be related to the protective role of placenta in resisting the invasion of the rabies virus or the absence of systemic viremia. The prompt administration of vaccines and anti-rabies immunoglobulin to the infant may have also contributed to his survival.

[Application of 3D printing technique in bilateral sagittal split osteotomy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application of osteotomy template manufactured via 3D printing technique in bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). METHODS: The patient group consisted of 32 patients (17 males and 15 females) with mandibular hypoplasia who underwent a BSSO setback (Hunsuck modification; 64 splits). The mean age at the time of surgery was 23.5 years (range 1.9-35 years). All patients were scanned using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to create a 3D model of the mandibular, and the osteotomy template of the inner horizontal ramus of mandible bone incision was manufactured via 3D printing technique. All splits underwent operation with or without the osteotomy template by either a young doctor (attending doctor) or a doctor with extensive orthognathic surgery experience (chief doctor). The time it took to perform the mandible bone incision of the inner horizontal ramus of each group was recorded. Postoperative CBCT scan was performed, and the lingual split scale was used to assess the effect of the operation. RESULTS: Primary healing of incisions was observed in all patients, and no serious complications occurred. The time it took to perform the mandible bone incision of the inner horizontal ramus was significantly different in the four groups (F=30.059, P<0.05), and it was longer in the group of the attending doctor without osteotomy template than in the other three groups (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the other groups (P>0.05). Although all splits (n=64) were performed according to the standardized protocol, only 59.38% (38/64) of the fracture lines run according to the Hunsuck's description. By contrast, only 21.88% (14/64) run through the mandibular canal and 18.75% (12/64) was split. The database was analyzed using crosstabs and via Fisher exact test. The split pattern was influenced by the application of an osteotomy template (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of osteotomy template manufactured via 3D printing technique in BSSO was effective, which enabled the young doctor to complete the operation faster and with good results.

Enzootic angiostrongyliasis in Guangzhou, China, 2008-2010.

This study was conducted to gain an understanding of the Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection status of rodent definitive host, snail intermediate host, and local residents in Guangzhou, China. A total of 430 rats were captured and 23 rats, from two species, were infected, with an average infection rate of 5.35%. A total of 795 Achatina fulica snails and 734 Pomacea canaliculata snails were collected. The average infection rates of these two species were 13.96% (111 of 795) and 1.50% (11 of 734), respectively. As for the seroprevalence of different occupations, the rate among the "general group" was significantly lower than the "occupational group." From this survey, Guangzhou is implicated to be the natural focus of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Rattus norvegicus and Achatina fulica play important roles in spreading this nematode in Guangzhou. Residents who live in Guangzhou, especially those working in certain industries such as agriculture, food-making, and aquaculture, face a higher risk of infection.

[The experimental study of double-bridging facial nerve defect in rabbits by chitosan-collagen chambers].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of repairing the long defects in rabbits by double-bridging technique and chitosan-collagen chambers. METHODS: Thirty Chinese rabbits were divided into three groups randomly. 15 mm defects in right facial nerve of rabbits were repaired in three groups: double-bridging (group I ), nerve autografts (group II), and normal control (group III). General observation, electrophysiological study, histological study and image analysis were performed 12 weeks postoperatively. All results were used to evaluate the nerve regeneration. RESULTS: Chitosan-collagen chambers were obviously degraded 12 weeks postoperatively and there was no foreign body reaction at this stage. They also restrain the formation of neuroma and provided a good microcircumambience for nerve regeneration. The recovery of nerve regeneration were good in group I. The nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of regenerated nerve were analyzed, which showed that there was no significant difference between the group I and group II (P > 0.05), but they all did not recover to normal level(P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Double-bridging technique is a simple method for treatment of long nerve defect and its effect is certain. Chitosan-collage chambers is suitable to implant into body in order to repair a nerve defect with excellent biocompatibility.