iORbase: A database for the prediction of the structures and functions of insect olfactory receptors.

Insect olfactory receptors (iORs) with atypical 7-transmembrane domains, unlike Chordata olfactory receptors, are not in the GPCR protein family. iORs selectively bind to volatile ligands in the environment and affect essential insect behaviors. In this study, we constructed a new platform (iORbase, https://www.iorbase.com) for the structural and functional analysis of iORs based on a combined algorithm for gene annotation and protein structure prediction. Moreover, it provides the option to calculate the binding affinities and binding residues between iORs and pheromone molecules by virtual screening of docking. Furthermore, iORbase supports the automatic structural and functional prediction of user-submitted iORs or pheromones. iORbase contains the well-analyzed results of approximately 6 000 iORs and their 3D protein structures identified from 59 insect species and 2 077 insect pheromones from the literature, as well as approximately 12 million pairs of simulated interactions between functional iORs and pheromones. We also built 4 online modules, iORPDB, iInteraction, iModelTM, and iOdorTool to easily retrieve and visualize the 3D structures and interactions. iORbase can help greatly improve the experimental efficiency and success rate, identify new insecticide targets, or develop electronic nose technology. This study will shed light on the olfactory recognition mechanism and evolutionary characteristics from the perspectives of omics and macroevolution.

[Anatomical basis and clinical application of "two points" acupotomology surgery program in treating cubital tunnel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore an effective acupotomology surgery program in treating cubital tunnel syndrome. METHODS: According to pathogenic factors and elbow anatomy, a "two points" acupotomology surgery program was designed, which could loose the attachment point of arcuate ligament on medial border of olecroanon and medial epicondyle of humerus. Twenty-one cases of cubital tunnel syndrome were treated with acupotmology, then the efficacy was obsered. RESULTS: After one year postoperative visit, 21 patients with ulnar nerve area skin numbness were cured, claw hand deformity and medial hand muscle atrophy recovered significantly. Results of function evaluation were excellent in 17 cases, good in 2 cases, fair in 2 cases and poor in 0 cases, the good rate was 90.5%. CONCLUSION: The acupotomology surgery program which could cut the starting and ending points of osborne's ligament and solve the problem of ulnar nerve entrapment is an easy, little-traumatic and effective minimally invasive surgery which also conforms to the anatomical structure.

Normal reference for bone density in healthy Chinese children.

An ethnicity- and gender-specific normal reference database is necessary for the clinical dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessment of skeletal status in Chinese children. We used a Lunar Prodigy DXA densitometer to measure bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone area (BA) at total body and subcranial skeleton for 877 healthy Chinese children (505 boys, 372 girls) aged 5-13 yr. The height-for-age, BA-for-height, and BMC-for-BA percentile curves were developed using the LMS method (L, power in Box-Cox transformation; M, median; S, coefficient of variation). We found that total body BMD and subcranial skeleton BMD were highly correlated (r=0.701-0.949), and that total body BMD was significantly higher than subcranial skeleton BMD for each gender and age group (p<0.001). No gender differences in total body and subcranial skeleton BMD were found. Total body lean mass correlated highly with total body BMC and subcranial skeleton BMD and BMC (boys: r=0.888-0.953, girls: r=0.917-0.967) and moderately with total body BMD (boys: r=0.684, girls: r=0.777). The head region accounted for 16-52% and 16-49% of the total body BMC in boys and girls, respectively, and the percentages were negatively correlated with age (boys: r=-0.824, girls: r=-0.864) and height (boys: r=-0.911, girls: r=-0.922). Regression analyses showed that age explained more variance in subcranial skeleton BMD (boys: R(2)=0.641, girls: R(2)=0.685) than in total body BMD (boys: R(2)=0.387, girls: R(2)=0.472). In summary, we have presented an ethnicity- and gender-specific densitometric normal reference database for Chinese children aged 5-13 yr. It should allow for an appropriate clinical assessment of total body bone density in Chinese children as measured by the Lunar Prodigy DXA densitometer.

Correlation between hand and total body bone density in normal Chinese children.

Hand bone mineral density (BMD) in adults was found to be significantly correlated with various skeletal sites, including the total body. However, the relationships between hand and total body bone measurements have yet to be explored for children. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 892 normal Chinese children (511 males, 381 females) aged 5-14 years by measuring the BMD and bone mineral content (BMC) at the total hand, upper limb, subtotal body, and total body using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We found that hand BMD and BMC increased with age for both genders. Female children had significantly higher hand BMD and BMC than males. Age explained more variance in hand BMD for females (R2=0.727) than for males (R2=0.596). For both genders, hand BMD and BMC correlated highly with age, weight, height, total body lean mass, and BMD and BMC at the upper limb, subtotal body, and total body (r=0.730-0.965, p<0.001) and moderately with body mass index and total body fat mass (r=0.525-0.701, p<0.001). Therefore, the hand DXA scan can potentially be a new tool for the clinical assessment of bone health in children.

Effects of chitosan and heparin on early extension of burns.

Chitosan, a naturally occurring high-molecular glycosaminoglycan (GAG), has been widely used in wound healing, including burns. Heparin is also a highly used glycosaminoglycan in burns. To evaluate the effects of chitosan and heparin alone and the mixture of chitosan and heparin on early extension of burn wound, deep partial-thickness burns were performed on the dorsum of rats. Then chitosan and heparin powder and the mixture of chitosan and heparin were applied, respectively, on the burn wounds. After 72 h, histological examination of the burn wounds was performed. Outcome showed that the burn degree of chitosan group was less severe than control group and chitosan greatly prevented the extension of burns in early phase. However, heparin had no protective effect on the early extension of burns. Use of chitosan and heparin together attenuated chitosan's protective effect.

Bilateral femoral bone mineral density measurements in Chinese women and men.

The aim of this study was to assess the contralateral femoral bone mineral density (BMD) difference as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in mainland Chinese women and men. We measured bilateral proximal femora (i.e., total hip, femoral neck, upper femoral neck, and trochanter) using DXA in 1101 subjects (284 males, 817 females), among whom 504 were postmenopausal. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Student's t-tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficients (r). With bilateral femur measurements and the acquisition of the mean BMD, precision error could be significantly reduced at the total hip, the femoral neck, and the upper femoral neck. Contralateral femoral BMD was highly correlated at all measuring sites (r=0.879-0.964). For the male group and for the postmenopausal subgroup, no significant differences in contralateral femoral BMDs were found. In the postmenopausal women, the percentage of subjects with discordance in classification (i.e., normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis) for the left and right femora declined from 16.9% to 8.1% with precision adjustment. From a population perspective, since there may still be a considerable number of misdiagnosed cases, we therefore suggest that bilateral femur measurements may be justified for postmenopausal Chinese women.

Oral absorption of hyaluronic acid and phospholipids complexes in rats.

AIM: To prepare a complex of hyaluronic acid (HA) and phospholipids (PL), and study the improvement effect of PL on the oral absorption of HA. METHODS: The complex of HA-PL (named Haplex) was prepared by film dispersion and sonication method, its physico-chemical properties were identified by infrared spectra and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The oral absorption of Haplex was studied. Thirty-two healthy rats were divided into 4 groups randomly: (1) a normal saline (NS) control group; (2) an HA group; (3) a mixture group and (4) a Haplex group. After intragastric administration, the concentration of HA in serum was determined. RESULTS: The physico-chemical properties of Haplex were different from HA or PL or their mixture. After Haplex was administered to rats orally, the serum concentration of HA was increased when compared with the mixture or HA control groups from 4 h to 10 h (P<0.05). The DeltaAUC0-12 h of Haplex was also greater than that of the other three groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The method of film dispersion and sonication can prepare HA and PL complex, and PL can enhance the oral absorption of exogenous HA.

Assessment of total body fat percentage from regional spine and femur DXA measurements among Chinese women and men.

This study was aimed at determining the correlation between regional body composition and total body fat percentage (TBF%), as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), among Chinese women and men. Men (n=203) and women (n=630), aged 20-87yr, were assessed for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) and for total body, lumbar spine (L2-L4), and left and right proximal femur fat percentage using DXA. Based on their BMI, male and female subjects were subdivided into 4 groups. For all groups, the TBF% derived from the total body scan was strongly correlated with spine %fat (r range: 0.60-0.96) and the left and right femur %fat (r range: 0.72-0.80 and 0.69-0.83, respectively), as obtained from regional scans. In stepwise regression, TBF% was best assessed by spine %fat, left femur %fat, age, and BMI for both genders (male: R(2)=0.88; female: R(2)=0.84). Equations with spine %fat, age, and BMI also provided good estimates of TBF% (male: R(2)=0.80; female: R(2)=0.75), whereas android and gynoid %fat were predicted with spine %fat and left femur %fat, respectively, and the predicted fat percentage ratio of android to gynoid (A/G) could be obtained from spine %fat and left femur %fat. The cross-validation results showed that the accuracy of all prediction equations was high in the male group, whereas prediction equations with high-to-moderate accuracy were found in the female group. Therefore, for DXA systems that do not offer total body scan, clinicians can assess TBF% using data obtained from regional scans.

Correlations between bone mineral density of the hand and other skeletal sites as measured by DXA in Chinese women and men.

This study was aimed at assessing the correlations between the bone mineral density (BMD) of the hand and other skeletal sites in Chinese women and men. We measured the BMD of the total body, the anteroposterior lumbar spine (L2-L4), bilateral proximal femurs (i.e., total hip, femoral neck, and trochanter), and bilateral total hands in 363 Chinese adults (96 males, 267 females) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Student's t tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficients (r). We found that bilateral hand measurements reduced precision error by 36% as compared with a single hand measurement. Dominant hand BMD was significantly higher than nondominant hand BMD. For both the dominant and nondominant sides, hand BMD was significantly higher in males than in females. Hand BMD correlated significantly (p<0.001) with the BMD of all skeletal sites for all subjects (r=0.681-0.848), the male group (r=0.568-0.857), and the female group (r=0.687-0.859). After normal references for the Chinese population have been established, further investigations may determine the clinical usefulness of hand BMD measurement in the diagnosis of osteoporosis and the prediction of fracture risk.

[The application of sodium hyaluronate in joint diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To review the physiological function of sodium hyaluronate in joints and its clinical applications. METHODS: Many literatures were reviewed and analysed on therapeutic mechanism and the application foreground of sodium hyaluronate. RESULTS: Extrinsic sodium hyaluronate plays an important role in improving synovial fluid and protecting cartilages as well as suppressing inflammation, so it is used in the treatment of joint diseases such as knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or temporomandibular osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: Sodium hyaluronate possesses a good applied prospect in joint diseases.