ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To evaluate the effect of single or dual field irradiation (IR) with the same dose on damage to miniature pig parotid glands.</p><p><b>METHODOLOGY</b>Sixteen miniature pigs were divided into two IR groups (n=6) and a control group (n=4). The irradiation groups were subjected to 20 Gy X-radiation to one parotid gland using single-field or dual-field modality by linear accelerator. The dose-volume distributions between two IR groups were compared. Saliva from parotid glands and blood were collected at 0, 4, 8 and 16 weeks after irradiation. Parotid glands were removed at 16 weeks to evaluate tissue morphology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The irradiation dose volume distributions were significantly different between single and dual field irradiation groups (t=4.177, P=0.002), although dose volume histogramin (DVH) indicated the equal maximal dose in parotid glands. Saliva flow rates from IR side decreased dramatically at all time points in IR groups, especially in dual field irradiation group. The radiation caused changes of white blood cell count in blood, lactate dehydrogenase and amylase in serum, calcium, potassium and amylase in saliva. Morphologically, more severe radiation damage was found in irradiated parotid glands from dual field irradiation group than that from single field irradiation group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Data from this large animal model demonstrated that the radiation damage from the dual field irradiation was more severe than that of the single field irradiation at the same dose, suggesting that dose-volume distribution is an important factor in evaluation of the radiobiology of parotid glands.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Amylases , Blood , Radiation Effects , Blood Platelets , Radiation Effects , Calcium , Radiation Effects , Erythrocyte Count , Erythrocytes , Radiation Effects , L-Lactate Dehydrogenase , Blood , Radiation Effects , Leukocyte Count , Leukocytes , Radiation Effects , Models, Animal , Organ Size , Radiation Effects , Parotid Gland , Pathology , Radiation Effects , Potassium , Radiation Effects , Radiation Dosage , Random Allocation , Saliva , Chemistry , Radiation Effects , Secretory Rate , Radiation Effects , Swine , Swine, Miniature , Time FactorsABSTRACT
@#ObjectiveTo observe the effect of auricular acupuncture combined with physical therapy on motor function of stroke patients.Methods40 stroke patients were divided randomly into trial group and control group with 20 cases in each group. Patients of trail group were treated with auricular acupuncture combined with physical therapy; cases of control group were treated only with physical therapy. Motor function of all patients were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) before and after treatment.ResultsFMA scores of patients of trial group increased significantly compared with that of control group (P<0.01).ConclusionEffect of auricular acupuncture combined with physical therapy is better than that of single physical therapy on motor function of the stroke patients.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Salivary nitrate is positively correlated with plasma nitrate and its level is 9 times the plasma level after nitrate loading. Nitrate in saliva is known to be reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria. Nitrate and nitrite levels in saliva are 3 - 5 times those in serum in physiological conditions respectively in our previous study. The biological functions of high salivary nitrate and nitrite are still not well understood. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of nitrate and nitrite on main oral pathogens under acidic conditions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six common oral pathogens including Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4646, Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277, Capnocytophaga gingivalis ATCC 33624, Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 10953, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 were cultured in liquid medium. Sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite was added to the medium to final concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 10 mmol/L. All of the microorganisms were incubated for 24 to 48 hours. The optical densities (OD) of cell suspensions were determined and the cultures were transferred to solid nutrient broth medium to observe the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration for the six tested pathogens.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nitrite at concentrations of 0.5 to 10 mmol/L had an inhibitory effect on all tested organisms at low pH values. The antimicrobial effect of nitrite increased with the acidity of the medium. Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 was highly sensitive to nitrite at low pH values. Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4646 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 were relatively resistant to acidified nitrite. Nitrate at the given concentrations and under acidic conditions had no inhibitory effect on the growth of any of the tested pathogens.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Nitrite, at a concentration equal to that in human saliva, is both cytocidal and cytostatic to six principal oral pathogens in vitro, whereas nitrate at a similar concentration has no antimicrobial effect on these organisms.</p>