Biomechanical evaluation of various rigid internal fixation modalities for condylar-base-associated multiple mandibular fractures: A finite element analysis.

Condylar-base-associated multiple mandibular fractures are more prevalent than single ones. Direct trauma to mandibular symphysis, body or angle are prone to induce indirect condylar fracture. However, little is known about the effects of various rigid internal fixation modalities in condylar base for relevant multiple mandibular fractures, especially when we are confused in the selection of operative approach. Within the finite element analysis, straight-titanium-plate implanting positions in condylar base contained posterolateral zone (I), anterolateral zone (II), and intermediate zone (III). Von Mises stress (SS) in devices and bone and mandibular displacement (DT) were solved, while maximum values (SSmax and DTmax) were documented. For rigid internal fixation in condylar-base-and-symphysis fractures, I + II modality exhibited least SSmax in screws and cortical bone and least DTmax, I + III modality exhibited least SSmax in plates. For rigid internal fixation in condylar-base-and-contralateral-body fractures, I + III modality exhibited least SSmax in screws and cortical bone, I + II modality exhibited least SSmax in plates and least DTmax. For rigid internal fixation in condylar-base-and-contralateral-angle fractures, I + III modality exhibited least DTmax. The findings suggest that either I + II or I + III modality is a valid guaranty for rigid internal fixation of condylar base fractures concomitant with symphysis, contralateral body or angle fractures.

Main Effects of Diagnoses, Brain Regions, and their Interaction Effects for Cerebral Metabolites in Bipolar and Unipolar Depressive Disorders.

Previous studies suggested patients with bipolar depressive disorder (BDd) or unipolar depressive disorder (UDd) have cerebral metabolites abnormalities. These abnormalities may stem from multiple sub-regions of gray matter in brain regions. Thirteen BDd patients, 20 UDd patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled to investigate these abnormalities. Absolute concentrations of 5 cerebral metabolites (glutamate-glutamine (Glx), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), myo-inositol (mI), creatine (Cr), parietal cortex (PC)) were measured from 4 subregions (the medial frontal cortex (mPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and parietal cortex (PC)) of gray matter. Main and interaction effects of cerebral metabolites across subregions of gray matter were evaluated. For example, the Glx was significantly higher in BDd compared with UDd, and so on. As the interaction analyses showed, some interaction effects existed. The concentrations of BDds' Glx, Cho, Cr in the ACC and HCs' mI and Cr in the PC were higher than that of other interaction effects. In addition, the concentrations of BDds' Glx and Cr in the PC and HCs' mI in the ACC were statistically significant lower than that of other interaction effects. These findings point to region-related abnormalities of cerebral metabolites across subjects with BDd and UDd.

Derivation and growth characteristics of dental pulp stem cells from patients of different ages.

The dental pulp contains a relatively low number of stem cells; however, it is considered to be a promising source of stem cells for use in regenerative therapy. To date, it has remained elusive whether there are certain differences in the dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) from donors of different ages. In the present study, DPSC lines were derived using teeth from children, adolescents, adults and aged donors. The derivation efficiency, the proliferative and apoptotic rate, cell marker expression and the differentiation capacity were investigated and compared among these DPSC lines. The derivation efficacy was decreased with increasing donor age. Although a large part of cell surface markers was expressed in all DPSC lines, the expression of CD29 was downregulated in the DPSCs from aged teeth. In addition, the doubling time of DPSCs from aged teeth was prolonged and the number of apoptotic cells was increased with the propagation. These DPSCs were able to differentiate into a neuronal linage, which positively expressed the neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin and microtubule­associated protein 2, as well as into an osteogenic lineage, which positively expressed CD45; however, these DPSCs from aged teeth were completely or partially deprived of differentiation capacity. By contrast, DPSCs from younger teeth displayed significantly higher vitality and a higher potential for use in dental regenerative medicine.

Biomechanical evaluation of maxillary Lefort Ι fracture with bioabsorbable osteosynthesis internal fixation.

The aim of this study was to apply biomechanical analysis model to evaluate the effects of bioabsorbable internal fixation devices on maxillary Lefort Ι fracture. CT scan technology and the finite element software (ansys) were used to establish three-dimensional finite element models of five resorbable internal fixation devices in maxillary Lefort Ι fractures. We used the model to calculate the stress of the upper jaw and internal fixation. We further analyzed the stability of fixation under four occlusions. The fixation using two bioabsorbable plates was not stable. The zygomaticomaxillary pillars fixation is more stable than other fixations. The stability of fracture fixation was influenced with the molar occlusion. The current study developed a functional three-dimensional finite element model of bioabsorbable internal fixation and compared the stability of five fixation methods for maxillary Lefort Ι fractures. The results would facilitate the application of bioabsorbable materials in dental clinic.

Anterior cingulate cortex and cerebellar hemisphere neurometabolite changes in depression treatment: A 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

AIM: We utilized single-voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine biochemical abnormalities related to major depressive disorder (MDD) in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and cerebellar hemisphere before and after antidepressant treatment. METHODS: Fifteen adult MDD patients and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were involved. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain was conducted in all subjects at the beginning of the study and the depressed subjects were reassessed after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: At baseline, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total glutamine plus glutamate (Glx) and myo-inositol (MI) levels in the bilateral ACC were significantly lower in MDD patients than in controls (P < 0.05/3). MI in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also decreased in patients compared with controls. After the treatment, the lower NAA, Glx and MI in ACC were normalized in MDD patients and the NAA and Glx increased compared to baseline values. The MI levels in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also normalized in patients. MI and choline levels in the right cerebellar hemisphere were elevated compared to those at baseline. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that metabolic abnormalities in the ACC and cerebellar hemisphere are implicated in MDD. Antidepressants may alter the local metabolic abnormalities in these areas.

[Finite element study of maxillary Le Fort-I osteotomy with rigid internal fixation].

OBJECTIVE: To study the biomechanical characteristic of maxillary Le fort- I osteotomy with rigid internal fixation (RIF) , so as to choose best fixation method. METHODS: The 3-dimensional finite element models of maxillary Le Fort-I osteotomy with 9 kinds of RIF methods were established. Then the models were divided into three groups to calculate the stress distribution of the maxilla and the displacement of bone segment under 3 kinds of occlusion condition. The fixation stability of the different RIF methods was evaluated. RESULTS: Under the incisor occlusion condition, the stress of the cranio maxillary complex transmits mainly along the nasal-maxillary buttress. Under the premolar and molar occlusion condition, the stress transmits along the alveolar process first, then turns to the nasal-maxillary and zygomatic-maxillary buttress. The focused stress position of the internal fixation system is at the connection between the screws and the plate and at the plate near the osteotomy line. Under the premolar occlusion condition, the displacement of bone segment with different RIF methods was (in a decreasing order) 0.396509 mm (with bio-absorbable plate), 0.148393 mm (with micro-plate ), 0.078436 mm (with mini-plate) in group 1; 0.188791 mm (fixing at the nasal-maxillary buttress), 0.121718 mm (fixing at the zygomatic-maxillary buttress), 0.078436 mm (fixing at the both buttress) in group 2; 0.091023 mm (with straight plate), 0.078436 mm (with L shape plate), 0.072450 mm (with Y shape plate), 0.065617 mm (with T shape plate) in group 3. CONCLUSIONS: The fixation stability of using the bio-absorbable plate in Le Fort-I osteotomy is less stable than using the titanium plate. Fixing at the zygomatic-maxillary buttress is more stable than at the naso-maxillary buttress. The fixation stability is different by using different shapes of plates.

[Establishment and primary analysis of the three-dimensional finite element model of mandibular bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy with rigid internal fixation].

OBJECTIVE: Establish the three-dimensional finite element models of mandibular bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) with rigid internal fixation (RIF), for further study of BSSRO. METHODS: CT scanned technology and the finite element software (ANSYS) were used to establish the original three-dimensional model of mandible, modify the model to animate the BSSRO, then establish the model of RIF, last mesh the model to establish the finite element model of BSSRO with RIF. Apply 100 N occlusion force at the central incisor; calculate the stress distribution of the mandible and the RIF. RESULTS: Three-dimensional finite element models of BSSRO with RIF were established, such as miniplate model, bicortical fixation screw model. When biting with the incisor and fixed with upper plate, the stress of the medial screw position of the distal and medial segment of mandible is high. When fixed with bicortical fixation screw, the highest stress position located at the internal surface of the medial screw' s position of the distal segment of mandible. CONCLUSIONS: The mentioned methods proved feasible in establishing the finite element models of BSSRO with RIF . The models can be applied to the study of BSSRO with RIF.

[Transmission disequilibrium analysis of 1137-1140 Del GTGA frameshift mutation within the KCNN3 gene and schizophrenia based on family trios].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between 1137-1140 Del GTGA in exon 1 at KCNN3 gene and schizophrenia. METHODS: The study included 289 subjects (affected 107; unaffected 182) from 95 schizophrenic trios. All subjects were collected from Han Chinese in south China and genotyped for 1137-1140 Del GTGA in KCNN3 using PCR and restriction endonuclease Dde I. All the affected patients met the CCMD-II-R criteria for schizophrenia. The haplotype-based haplotype relative risk(HHRR) and transmission/disequilibrium test(TDT) analyses were done in 95 schizophrenic trios. RESULTS: Comparative analysis on the distribution of alleles between the affected and unaffected parents(87 family trios) showed no significant difference(X(2)=0.253, P> 0.05). HHRR showed that KCNN3 gene alleles transmitted to the patients were not different from that of the non-transmitted parental alleles(X(2)=0.042, P> 0.05). TDT revealed that A(2) alleles were not preferentially transmitted to schizophrenic patients(X(2)=3.000, P=0.0833). CONCLUSION: In this study a lower frequency for 1137-1140 Del homozygote of KCNN3 gene was observed, and the HHRR and TDT analyses suggested that the 1137-1140 Del alleles of KCNN3 gene be unlikely to confer susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Effects of chronic stress and phenytoin on the long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal CA1 region.

To investigate the changes of LTP in hippocampal CA1 region induced by chronic stress and the effect of phenytoin on them, thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided equally into four groups: control group, control-phenytoin group, stress-saline group and stress-phenytoin group. Isolated hippocampal slices of rats were used to observe the changes of long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal CA1 field using electrophysiological technique. Amplitude of population spike (PS) and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) slope were used to indicate the changes of LTP. High-frequency stimulation (HFS) was applied to Schaffer collaterals of hippocampal CA3 field, and the changes of PS amplitude and fEPSPs slope in CA1 field were observed. The results showed that the LTP induction rate, the increases of PS amplitude and fEPSPs slope after HFS in control and stress-phenytoin groups were significantly greater than those in stress-saline group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between control group and stressphenytoin group or between control and control-phenytoin groups in these indexes (P>0.05). It is suggested that chronic stress can damage the development of LTP in hippocampal CA1 field, while phenytoin can protect the LTP of stressed hippocampal slices in normal state.

Effects of phenytoin on morphology and structure of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons of rats in chronic stress.

AIM: To investigate the effects of phenytoin (DPH) on morphological and structural changes of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA3 of rats induced by chronic stress. METHODS: Using Nissl staining, Golgi staining, and electron microscope, the morphology and structure of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA3 of rats were observed. RESULTS: Chronic stress resulted in loss of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neuron from 39+/-4 to 35+/-4, shortening of total length of apical dendrite (from 196 microm+/-35 microm to 156 microm+/-33 microm, P<0.05), and ultrastructural degenerations of neurons. DPH markedly inhibited the decreases in number of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neuron (38.4+/-2.2) and total length of apical dendrite (198 microm+/-36 microm, P<0.05), meanwhile, improved neuron ultrastructural degenerations caused by chronic stress. CONCLUSION: Chronic stress does damage to hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons and DPH protects hippocampus from damage induced by chronic stress.