Investigation of the clinical and radiographic features of osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joints in adolescents and young adults.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical and radiographic features of osteoarthrosis (OA) of the temporomandibular joints (TMJOA) in human adolescents and young adults. STUDY DESIGN: Patients (n = 4883) with temporomandibular disorders (age, 11 to 30 years) underwent clinical and radiographic examinations. The radiographic findings were classified as erosive bony changes, proliferative changes mainly, including flattening with uneven sclerosis, and osteophytes of the condyle, and bilaterally short condylar processes. In addition, we interpreted the reassessment radiographs of 156 of the patients. RESULTS: Seven hundred eleven patients had radiographic signs of OA. The frequency of OA was higher in women (563/3360, 16.8%) than in men (148/1523, 9.7%). Most patients (541/711, 76.1%) with signs of OA showed proliferative changes of OA. Moreover, 56.4% of patients with TMJOA (88/156) remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that although OA is an age-related disease, aging is not the crucial factor in the pathogenesis of OA.

[Construction of the dioxin bioassay method based on the clonal expressed aryl hydrocarbon receptor system].

OBJECTIVE: To study the specific binding of the artificial clonal aryl hydrocarbon receptor translocator (ARNT) with the natural aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the recolonization by polyclonal antibody. The dose-response relationship with tetrachlo-rodibenzo-dioxin (TCDD) was also studied to develop TCDD detection method and the binding degree related to dose response. METHODS: (1) The target genes including AhR-PAS, AhR-C and ARNT-PAS were amplified by RT-PCR by using the total RNA purified from the liver cells of C57BL/6J mice as templates to construct pGEX-5X1 recombinants. The recombinant plasmids were expressed in E. coli. (2) The rabbits were immuned by the clonal fusion proteins: AhR-PAS, AhR-C to prepare the polyclonal antibody. (3) The natural AhR from the hepatic cytosol of C57BL/6J mice was extracted. The artificial cloning expressed fusion protein:GST-ARNT-PAS and the natural AhR were incubated in different dose of TCDD. The quantity of the heterodimer through affinity adsorption and Western blots were measured. RESULTS: (1) The target proteins including AhR-PAS, AhR-C and ARNT-PAS were successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. (2) The detection limit of polyclonal antibody AhR-PAS and AhR-C were 5 ng and 1 ng, respectively. (3) The total protein concentration prepared from the liver cells was 60.5 mg/ml. The artificial clonal protein ARNT-PAS could specifically bind to the natural AhR complex with the existence of TCDD. The detection limit of TCDD was 0.25 pmol which was 80 pg approximately. CONCLUSION: A TCDD detection method based on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor system was established and the detection limit might reach pg grade.

[Investigation on nutritional intakes for hospitalized children with blood disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diet and nutritional status of hospitalized children with blood disease in order to provide nutritional guidelines. METHODS: The patients' daily dietary intakes, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and additional meals, were recorded in detail for seven consecutive days. The intake amount of various nutrients was calculated using the dietary database. RESULTS: The majority of children with blood disease showed inadequate intakes of calories [mean 1825.81 kCal/d, 73.62% of the recommended intake (RNI)] and protein (mean 67.68 g/d, 81.34% of RNI). Intakes of vitamin E and riboflavin were adequate, but intakes of vitamin A, thiamine and vitamin C (66.67%, 77.78% and 69.89% of RNI, respectively) were inadequate. Iron and selenium intakes were adequate, but calcium and zinc intakes (41.11% and 56.21% of RNI, respectively) were grossly inadequate. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized children with blood disease had decreased dietary intakes of calories, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, calcium and zinc. The dietary pattern and nutritional intake need to be improved.

Localization of impacted maxillary canines and observation of adjacent incisor resorption with cone-beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) the locations of impacted maxillary canines and resorption of neighboring incisors. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred ten impacted maxillary canines were analyzed using CBCT images. The locations of the impacted canines were assessed and angular and linear measurements were taken using NewTom proprietary software. In addition, root resorption of neighboring incisors was investigated. RESULTS: Among these impactions, 45.2% were impacted buccal-labially, 40.5% were impacted palatally, and 14.3% in the midalveolus. The locations varied: mesial-labial impaction (n = 67), mesial-palatal impaction (n = 74), in situ impaction (n = 31), distal impaction (n = 12), horizontal impaction (n = 18), and inverted impaction (n = 8). Quantitive measurements further depicted these variations. Root resorption was present in 27.2% of lateral and 23.4% of central incisors, and 94.3% of these resorptions occurred where the impacted canines were in close contact with the incisors. CONCLUSION: The location of impacted maxillary canines varies greatly in 3 planes, and the resorption of neighboring permanent incisors is common.

[Study on content of iodine in food in Tianjin market and iodine nutrition conditions among college students].

OBJECTIVE: To know about content of iodine in foods sold in Tianjing markets presently, and the iodine nutrition conditions in college students. It was also aimed to probe the functions of the iodized salt complement with the dietary iodine intake, and whether the urine iodine could reflect dietary iodine intake. METHODS: 278 food samples in markets were collected by a randomly stratified sampling method, while the arsenic-cerium catalytic contact method was used to determine the content in food. The dietary information of students for seven days was recorded, and the urine iodine was determined through the arsenic-cerium catalytic spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The determination of 47 kinds and 278 food samples indicated that the content of iodine within animal foods (7.8 microg/100 g - 30.8 microg/100 g) was higher than that within plant foods (1.8 microg/100 g - 16.1 microg/100 g). The investigation also showed that students who regarded vegetarian food as principle accounted for 70. 19%. The amount of dietary iodine intake among those students, based on the dietary survey, was (111.67 +/- 53.18) microg/d, while supplementary iodine from iodized salt was about (230.27 +/- 45.55) microg/d. Therefore, the total iodine provided from diet would be (341.95 +/- 89.58) microg/d. Modified by urine creatinine, the median of urine iodine was 271.28 microg/gCr, and the urine iodine and dietary iodine intake was found positively related (r(s) = 0.463, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Regarding the vegetarian food as the principle, most of students investigated are not rich. The dietary iodine intake is lower than RDA (150 microg), but it can be obtained the iodized salt by 230. 27 microg, which is the possible supplement to the shortage from foods.

Three-dimensional evaluations of supernumerary teeth using cone-beam computed tomography for 487 cases.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to introduce the use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for evaluation of supernumerary teeth. METHODS: The study group comprised 487 patients with a total of 626 supernumerary teeth who were examined by CBCT. Patient characteristics were recorded, and the number, location, shape, and 3-dimensional position of the supernumeraries were analyzed. The ability of CBCT to visualize dental and skeletal structures relative to supernumerary teeth was also evaluated. RESULTS: Males were affected more than females in a ratio of 2.64:1. Seventy-two percent of the patients had 1 supernumerary tooth, 27.3% had 2, and 0.6% had 3 supernumeraries. Supernumerary teeth were most frequently located in the anterior maxilla (92%), and their sagittal location relative to the neighboring teeth could be used for classification purposes. Supernumeraries were most commonly conical in shape (83.5%). CBCT yielded accurate 3-dimensional pictures of the dental and bony structures. The sagittal positions of the 578 supernumerary teeth in the anterior maxilla were divided into 6 types, of which types I and III were most commonly associated with local malocclusions. Moreover, 43.4% of the premaxillary supernumeraries were inverted and 21.1% were transversely oriented. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT imaging yields accurate 3-dimensional pictures of local dental and bony structures, which is helpful for pretreatment evaluation of supernumerary teeth.

[Cloning, identification and tissue expression of novel genes differentially expressed in diabetic rats supplemented with zinc].

OBJECTIVE: To clone novel gene fragments differentially expressed from diabetic rats supplemented with zinc and to detect their expression distribution in various tissues. METHODS: cDNA fragments from former research project were cloned, sequenced and BLASTn analysed. The RT-PCR of the two novel genes were made using the primers designed according to the sequence of cDNA to observe the expression changes in liver of various groups and their expression distributions in various tissues. RESULTS: 2 # cDNA and 6 # cDNA were shown to be the novel gene fragments for no matched gene with them in GenBank. The expression level of DM group and DM + Zn group was obviously lower than those of NC group. The expression level of DM + Zn group was higher than those of DM group ( P < 0.05) . The expression level of 2 # cDNA was higher in brain and pancreas, lower in kidney, and none in heart, muscle and thymus. The expression of 6 # cDNA can be found in heart, muscle, brain, kidney and pancreas, but thymus. 2 # cDNA and 6 # cDNA were registered to GenBank with the numbers of AY952968 and AY952970 respectively. CONCLUSION: Two novel genes differentially expressed in diabetic rats supplemented with zinc were cloned and expressed in various tissues, and were successfully submitted to GenBank.

[Regulation of chromium on gene expression of skeletal muscles in diabetic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the regulation of chromium on gene expression related to metabolism of skeletal muscles in diabetic rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were assigned to three groups: normal control group (NC), alloxan-induced diabetic control group (DM), and DM with chromium supplementation group (DM + Cr). 200 microg Cr/kg bw perday was supplemented orally for 60 days. At the end of the treatment, the changes in gene expression among three groups were studied by mRNA differential display technique combined with cDNA fragments cloning, sequencing and BLASTn analysis. RESULTS: 11 cDNA fragments larger than 400bp expressed differences in skeletal muscles between DM + Cr group and DM group were isolated, 4 of them expressed higher in DM + Cr group, while the rest expressed higher in DM group. Cr-3 and GLUT4 are homologous with sequence identities of 98% and Cr-5 and IRS-1 are homologous with sequence identities of 100%. The expression level of GLUT4 mRNA in DM + Cr group are higher than those of DM group. CONCLUSION: Chromium supplementation could induce the expression of GLUT4 mRNA on skeletal muscles in diabetic rats. It may be one of the molecular mechanisms that chromium could improve the disorders of glucose and lipids metabolism in diabetic rats.

[Effects of chromium supplementation on IRS-1 expression of skeletal muscle in diabetic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of chromium supplementation on related gene expression to metabolism of skeletal muscles in diabetic rats. METHODS: cDNA fragments from the out related research were cloned, sequenced and its comparalarity analysis has been done. The RT-PCR were made using the primers designed according to the sequence of cDNA. RESULTS: The identities between the sequence of Cr-5 and IRS-1 is 100%. The expression level of DM group (0.791 +/- 0.038) is obviously lower than those of normal group (0.892 +/- 0.053, P < 0.05). And The expression level of DM + Cr group (0.822 +/- 0.066) have some improvement compare to those of DM group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a tendency that Chromium supplementation can increase the expression level of IRS-1 mRNA of skeletal muscles in diabetic rats. It will be studied as a candidate gene in future research.

[Central giant cell lesions of the jaws: a clinicopathological study of 31 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinicopathologic features of central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) of the jaws and the relationship between the pathologic features and its clinical behavior. METHODS: Histologic, radiographic and follow-up information for 31 cases of central giant cell granuloma were reviewed. The histopathologic patterns were analyzed between nonrecurrent and recurrent cases for which the following-up information was available. RESULTS: The majority of the giant cell granuloma of the jaws occurred in patients under 30 with a predilection of females and mostly were involved in the mandible. The radiographic features of CGCG non-specific. The multinucleated giant cell scattered unevenly, the numbers of the nuclei were few and mostly 10-19. The marked fibrosis, the multiple area of hemorrhage, abundant hemosiderin and newly formed bone were always present in the lesions. No significant difference exited between the recurrence and nonrecurrence groups in the pathologic features. The patients with aggressive behavior showed more consistent with the recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: CGCG was a non-neoplastic lesion of the jaws which was different from the giant cell tumor. It was difficult to distinguish between the CGCG and giant cell tumor (GCT), and to predict its clinical behavior only by the histopathological patterns. It was helpful to combine the clinical presentation of CGCG with its treatment.

[Clinicopathologic study of a family cherubism].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of familial cherubism and its differentiation from other giant cell lesions in jaws and the results of surgical treatments with a long-term follow-up. METHODS: Four cases of familial cherubism were reviewed and their clinical and radiographic features, histopathologic appearance, biochemical markers and surgical treatments analysed. RESULTS: Clinically, cherubism was characterized by bilateral painless swelling of jaws, mandibular deformity was common. Radiographs showed multilocular radiolucencies with sclerotic thickening border. Histopathologically, numerous randomly distributed multinucleated giant cells and vascular spaces within a fibrous connective tissue stroma with or without eosinophilic collagen perivascular cuffing were shown. The lesion regressed without treatment in 1 cases. Curettage was performed in 3 cases with good results. CONCLUSIONS: Cherubism can be diagnosed according to its typical clinical and radiographical features with a positive family history. It might regress without treatment. But surgery intervention is suggested to improve physiological function and to solve the psychologic problem of the patients.