ABSTRACT
Objective@#This ex vivo study evaluated the effect of ultrasound and Er:YAG laser irrigation activation techniques on the penetration of sodium hypochlorite solution into infected human root canal dentin, providing a reference for clinical infection control of infected root canals.@*Methods @#Thirty-six cases of infected root canals were collected and randomly divided into three groups according to the irrigation technique: 12 cases in the conventional syringe irrigation (CSI) group, 12 cases in the passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) group, 12 cases in the Er:YAG laser and photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) group and 36 cases of clean root canals (12 cases in the CSI group, 12 cases in the PUI group, 12 cases in the PIPS group). All of the selected root canals were straight root canals of posterior teeth. After standardizing the root length, all canals were subjected to instrumentation and dynamic irrigation. 2% methylene blue solution was used to visualize the penetration of the irrigant. EXAKT cutting and grinding equipment was used to take transverse sections of 100-150 μm at the coronal, middle and apical thirds of the root canals. The data (maximum penetration depth, average penetration depth, and penetration percentage) were observed under a light microscope to evaluate the effect of dye penetration. @*Results @# With the three irrigation techniques, the maximum penetration depth, average penetration depth and penetration percentage of the infected root canals were significantly lower than those of clean root canals in the full length of the root canal (P<0.05). The penetration percentage, average penetration depth and maximum penetration depth of the PIPS group were significantly higher than those of the CSI group in the coronal, middle and apical thirds of the infected root canal, respectively (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the maximum penetration depth, average penetration depth or penetration percentage between the PUI and CSI groups (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the maximum penetration depth, average penetration depth or penetration percentage between the PIPS and PUI groups (P>0.05). @*Conclusion @# The dentine permeability of infected root canals was weaker than that of clean root canals. Er:YAG laser-assisted irrigation activation technology could significantly improve the penetration of sodium hypochlorite solution into infected dentin, but passive ultrasonic irrigation did not significantly improve the penetration.
ABSTRACT
Resumo Fundamento Muitos estudos clínicos confirmaram que a legumain está intimamente relacionada à aterosclerose. Infelizmente, chegaram-se a conclusões diferentes e ainda faltam análises e estudos sobre as características da placa aterosclerótica em pacientes com níveis plasmáticos aumentados de legumain. Objetivos Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a correlação entre as características da legumain e da placa aterosclerótica coronariana. Métodos Um total de 81 pacientes com doença cardíaca aterosclerótica coronariana (DCAC), incluindo 43 pacientes com angina instável (AI) e 38 pacientes com angina estável (AE), foram examinados por angiografia coronária. Foi realizado ultrassom intravascular (IVUS) para avaliar as características das placas ateroscleróticas coronarianas, e os níveis plasmáticos de legumain também foram medidos. Valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados significativos. Resultados A concentração de legumain foi significativamente maior nos dois subgrupos de doença coronariana do que no grupo controle (todos p<0,001). As concentrações de legumain no grupo AI foram significativamente maiores do que no grupo SA (p=0,001). A área de placa, o índice de remodelamento (IR) e o índice de excentricidade (IE) no grupo AI foram significativamente maiores do que no grupo AE (p<0,001, p=0,001, p=0,001, respectivamente). Houve uma correlação positiva significativa entre os níveis de legumain e IR e IE em pacientes com AI e AE (todos p<0,05). Conclusões Níveis plasmáticos elevados de legumain estavam intimamente relacionados com a ocorrência e gravidade da doença coronariana, e as lesões tendiam a ser instáveis. Espera-se que a legumain seja um potencial biomarcador inflamatório para o diagnóstico de doença coronariana e a identificação precoce de lesões coronárias instáveis.
Abstract Background Many clinical studies have confirmed that legumain is closely related to atherosclerosis. Unfortunately, different conclusions have been reached, and analyses and studies on atherosclerotic plaque characteristics in patients with increased plasma levels of legumain are still lacking. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the correlation between legumain and coronary atherosclerotic plaque characteristics. Methods A total of 81 patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD), including 43 patients with unstable angina (UA) and 38 patients with stable angina (SA), were screened by coronary angiography. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed to evaluate the characteristics of coronary atherosclerotic plaques, and plasma legumain levels were also measured. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Legumain concentration was significantly higher in the two CHD subgroups than in the control group (all p<0.001). Legumain concentrations in the UA group were significantly higher than in the SA group (p=0.001). The plaque area, remodeling index (RI), and eccentricity index (EI) in the UA group were significantly higher than those in the SA group (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between legumain levels and RI and EI in both UA and SA patients (all p<0.05). Conclusions High plasma levels of legumain were closely related to the occurrence and severity of CHD, and the lesions tended to be unstable. Legumain is expected to be a potential inflammatory biomarker for the diagnosis of CHD and the early identification of unstable coronary lesions.
ABSTRACT
Objective@# A model was built by neural network analysis to study the relationship between different degrees of vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency and malnutrition-induced stomatitis.@*Methods@# Data from 30 healthy volunteers and 30 patients with malnutrition-induced stomatitis were collected. The distribution of lesions, the number of affected sites and clinical manifestations were recorded, and the severity was scored. The levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid in the peripheral blood of the two groups were simultaneously measured. The SPSS software was used to analyze the correlation between vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in the peripheral blood of patients with malnutrition-induced stomatitis and healthy volunteers, and the MATLAB software package was used to analyze the data via a neural network.@*Results@#The levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid significantly correlated with the grade of malnutrition-induced stomatitis. Simultaneous B12 and folic acid deficiency linearly correlated with the occurrence and severity of malnutrition-induced stomatitis. Based on this correlation, a thermogram model of malnutrition-induced stomatitis was constructed.@*Conclusion@# Malnutrition-induced stomatitis is closely related to vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency. Their synergistic effect may promote the occurrence and development of malnutrition-induced stomatitis. The construction of the malnutrition-induced stomatitis model aids the targeted etiological treatment of patients with moderate and severe deficiency to prevent malnutrition-induced stomatitis.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To understand the nutritional status of primary and secondary school students in Furong District of Changsha from 2015 to 2021 and provide a basis for the targeted child health care.@*Methods@#Data of autumn health check of primary and secondary school students in Furong District of Changsha was collected from 2015 to 2021. A total of 345 968 students were enrolled, and their nutritional status was analyzed.@*Results@#The overall malnutrition rate of students showed a downward trend, and the differences were statistically significant( χ 2=2 177.92, P <0.01); the overall overweight detection rate of students increased from 5.22% to 13.75% in 2021, showing an upward trend year by year, the differences were statistically significant( χ 2=6 476.36, P < 0.01 ); the overall obesity detection rate of students in 2021 had increased compared with that in 2015, increasing from 11.43% to 11.73%,showing an upward trend year by year( χ 2=20.03, P <0.01). The annual rates of malnutrition, overweight, and obesity in boys were higher than those in girls( P <0.01).@*Conclusion@#The malnutrition status of primary and middle school students in Furong District of Changsha has been improving year by year, but students overweight and obesity rates have been increasing, and the nutritional status of boys is more prominent than girls. Therefore, targeted coping strategies should be adopted in health care.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment and prognosis of oralmucosal malignant melanoma to provide a reference for clinical practice.@*Methods@#Data from 19 patients with oralmucosal malignant melanoma were collected, and their clinical manifestations, treatment methods and follow-up results were retrospectively analyzed. @*Results@#Among the 19 patients, 11 cases (58%) had lesions in the gingiva, 7 cases (37%) had lesions in the palate, and 1 case (5%) had lesions in the tongue, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Eight patients had regional lymph node metastasis with a metastasis rate of 42%, of which 4 cases had multiple site metastasis, and the total number of regional lymph node metastasis sites was 15. Among the 19 patients, 3 cases received only surgery, 4 cases received cryotherapy, and 12 cases received combined surgery, cryotherapy and biological immunotherapy. Pathological examination showed malignant melanoma. The positive rates of S-100, HMB-45 and Melan-A were 95%, 89% and 84%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with lesions less than 5 cm2 had a higher survival rate (P < 0.05).@*Conclusions@# Oral malignant melanomas usually present as black lesions in the oral mucosa, which are prone to metastasis in early stage. The area of lesions may affect the prognosis of the disease. Therefore, the large range of black lesions or masses should be the alert for the clinicians. Oral malignant melanoma patients are usually treated with combined treatment with surgery, cryotherapy and biological immunotherapy.