[A technique to design the framework of removable partial denture by multi-stage expert system].

This study aims to apply a new expert system to design removable partial denture (RPD) framework. The RPD design is completed in three steps, namely, "selecting missing teeth", "selecting abutment condition", and "selecting personalized clasp". The system can help auxiliary dentists develop personalized treatment plans to reduce their clinical workload. It can also generate a dental preparation guideline for clinical preparation, which can prevent tooth preparation mistakes. By generating the standard electronic drawings of the framework design, the system can reduce the inconvenience caused by manual drawing, thereby facilitating dentist-technician communication and reducing the rate of remade.

[Monoclonal Antibody Against N Terminal 439-451 Epitopes of Anti-Mullerian Hormone and Its Properties].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the specific monoclonal antibody against the N-terminal specific epitope peptide of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and to identify its specificity. METHODS: Using bioinformatics analysis software to predict the specific peptide fragment of AMH. Then synthesized four antigenic epitope peptide segments of mature N-terminal region of AMH as the screening target antigen. Synthesized AMH wholegene.Using the prokaryotic expression system to abtain recombinant AMH protein. Immunized BALB/c mice with the recombinant AMH, and prepared mouse spleen cells for fusing with SP/20 cells. Preparation of AMH monoclonal antibody by hybridoma technology. The monoclonal antibodies against AMH were screened by using four N-terminal epitope peptides (1: 439-451 RGRDPRGPGRAQ, 2: 273-285 PPRPSAELEESPP, 3: 42-54 DLDWPPGSPQEPL, 4: 494-506 WPQSDRNPRYGNH) as antigens, and indirect ELISA and Western blot were used to identify the antigen binding characteristics of the selected monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Two hybridoma cell lines with stable anti-AMH-1 and anti-AMH-2 antibody activities were screened. The two antibodies were named anti-AMH-1 and anti-AMH-2 respectively. The antibody titers were 1∶12 000 and 1∶1 600 after purification. Western blot confirmed that the two McAbs recognized different antigens. Anti-AMH-1 could not only recognize the N-terminal 439-451 epitope peptide of AMH, but also recognize the amino acid sequence of recombinant AMH, as well as the ovarian tissue. Anti-AMH-2 could recognize recombinant AMH and ovarian tissue. CONCLUSION: Two monoclonal antibodies against N-terminal specific epitopes of human AMH were successfully constructed.

Could the loss of diaphragm thickness measured by computer tomography predict the rate of reintubation?

BACKGROUND: Diaphragm function loss is very common in the intensive care unit (ICU) and can predict the success of weaning. However, whether diaphragm thickness loss during mechanical ventilation (MV) as measured by computed tomography (CT) can predict the rate of reintubation remains unclear. Therefore, we hypothesized that a loss of diaphragm thickness would impact the outcome of weaning. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on patients who received MV in the ICU of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. The diaphragm thickness of each patient on the CT scans within 48 hours after MV and 24 hours before weaning were measured by at least two independent investigators. The primary outcome was the rate of reintubation, and the second outcomes included hospital mortality and the length of ICU stay (ICU LOS) after extubation. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients were included in the analysis. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, all patients were divided into two groups (less or more than 1.55 mm diaphragm thickness loss in reintubation). As a result, less loss of diaphragm thickness was a protective factor for the rate of reintubation [33% vs. 12%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.001; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.001-0.271; P=0.018] and hospital mortality (18% vs. 4%; aOR 0.001; 95% CI, 0.001-0.035; P=0.007). However, no significant difference was found in the ICU LOS after extubation between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Less diaphragm thickness loss was related to a lower rate of reintubation and hospital mortality.