Effects of Danggui-Shaoyao-San on the Influence of Spatial Learning and Memory Induced by Experimental Tooth Movement.

BACKGROUND: The pain caused by orthodontic treatment has been considered as tough problems in orthodontic practice. There is substantial literature on pain which has exactly effected on learning and memory; orthodontic tooth movement affected the emotional status has been showed positive outcomes. Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription that has been used for pain treatment and analgesic effect for orthodontic pain via inhibiting the activations of neuron and glia. We raised the hypothesis that DSS could restore the impaired abilities of spatial learning and memory via regulating neuron or glia expression in the hippocampus. METHODS: A total of 36 rats were randomly divided into three groups: (1) Sham group (n = 12), rats underwent all the operation procedure except for the placement of orthodontic forces and received saline treatment; (2) experimental tooth movement (ETM) group (n = 12), rats received saline treatment and ETM; (3) DSS + ETM (DETM) group (n = 12), rats received DSS treatment and ETM. All DETM group animals were administered with DSS at a dose of 150 mg/kg. Morris water maze test was evaluated; immunofluorescent histochemistry was used to identify astrocytes activation, and immunofluorescent dendritic spine analysis was used to identify the dendritic spines morphological characteristics expression levels in hippocampus. RESULTS: Maze training sessions during the 5 successive days revealed that ETM significantly deficits in progressive learning in rats, DSS that was given from day 5 prior to ETM enhanced progressive learning. The ETM group rats took longer to cross target quadrant during the probe trial and got less times to cross-platform than DETM group. The spine density in hippocampus in ETM group was significantly decreased compared to the sham group. In addition, thin and mature spine density were decreased too. However, the DSS administration could reverse the dendritic shrinkage and increase the spine density compared to the ETM group. Astrocytes activation showed the opposite trend in hippocampus dentate gyrus (DG). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with DSS could restore the impaired abilities on ETM-induced decrease of learning and memory behavior. The decreased spines density in the hippocampus and astrocytes activation in DG of hippocampus in the ETM group rats may be related with the decline of the ability of learning and memory. The ability to change the synaptic plasticity in hippocampus after DSS administration may be correlated with the alleviation of impairment of learn and memory after ETM treatment.

Association between MSX1 variants and oral clefts in Han Chinese in western China.

Previous animal and association studies have shown that the MSX1 gene is associated with oral clefts. Our aim was to investigate association between variants in the MSX1 gene and oral clefts in a Han Chinese population. Our study group consisted of 206 nonsyndromic oral cleft (NSOC) nuclear families (including the patients and their parents) and 224 controls. The three variants evaluated in this study were single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs3821949 and rs12532 and a missense mutation P147Q. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to genotype the three markers. Case-control and family-based association analyses were carried out. In the case-control analysis, no significant differences in genotypic or allelic frequencies were observed in any of the two single-nucleotide polymorphisms between patients and controls. Although the homozygous T allele for P147Q was not detected in any sample in this population, heterozygotes were more prevalent in NSOC (1.2%) when compared with the controls (0%). The analyses for family-based association did not suggest association between any of the three variants and NSOC. No significant association was found between NSOC and rs3821949 or rs12532 in MSX1 gene, whereas an association was observed between the P147Q variant and cleft lip with cleft palate in the case-control analysis.

[Association between interferon regulatory factor 6 gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC). METHODS: Experimental group consisted of 186 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents (183 fathers and 174 mothers), 172 core families (patient+parents), and control group consisted of 200 normal children. DNA was extracted and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the genotypes of the samples, case-control analyses and transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) were carried out. RESULTS: Compared with control group, there were significant differences in both rs642961's and rs4844880's AA genotype and A allele among NSOC patients (P < 0.05), but no difference in cleft palate (P = 0.15, P = 0.967, respectively). In TDT analysis, the A allele of rs642961 had a strong over-transmission in NSOC (P < 0.05), so did the rs4844880'A allele (P < 0.05), but neither of them had significant difference in cleft palate (P = 0.91, P = 0.95, respectively). CONCLUSION: IRF6 gene polymorphism is associated with NSOC.

[Comparison of efficacy between nateglinide and repaglinide in treating type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of nateglinide with repaglinide in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Forty-six type 2 diabetic patients were randomly treated with repaglinide (group A, 1.0 mg tid, n=23) or nateglinide (group B, 90.0 mg tid, n=23). The trial consisted of a 4-week equilibrated period followed by 12 weeks of treatment course. RESULTS: In group A, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) and 30-, 60-, 120- min postprandial blood glucose (PBG), as well as hemoglobin A1c were decreased significantly (P<0.05). In group B, the 60-min and 120-min PBG decreased remarkably (P<0.05), but FBG, 30-min PBG and A1c decreased with no statistical significance (P>0.05). After 12 weeks treatment, the 30-, 60-, 120-min postprandial insulin level, area under the curve of insulin and C peptide (0 to 120 min) increased in both groups (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between the effects of repaglinide and nateglinide on early phase insulin secretion. CONCLUSION: The glucose lowering effect of repaglinide at a dosing level of 1.0 mg tid was better than that of nateglinide 90 mg tid on fasting blood glucose and A1c during 12 weeks treatment period, yet the insulinotropic effects of the two drugs were similar.

[The associations of HLA-DQB1 gene with onset age and autoantibodies in type 1 diabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1 gene with onset age and autoantibodies in type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM) in Chinese Han population in Sichuan area. METHODS: Forty-six type 1 diabetic patients and 52 healthy control subjects were involved in this study. HLA-DQB1 typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer(PCR-SSP). Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) and islet cell antibody (ICA) were qualitatively analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The positive rate of DQB1*0201 was higher in T1DM than in controls (OR=18, P<0.005), but those of DQB1*0601, *0602 were higher in controls than in T1DM(OR=0.07, 0.31 respectively, both P<0.05).The positive rate of DQB1*0602 in type 1 diabetic patients with onset age>or=20 years was higher than that in the patients with onset age <20 years (P<0.05). GADA was more frequent in DQB1*0201(+) patients than in DQB1*0201 (-) patients (P<0.025). CONCLUSION: The findings show that DQB1*0201 is susceptible to T1DM, whereas DQB1*0601, *0602 are protective in Chinese Han population in Sichuan area. DQB1*0602 may delay the onset of T1DM. The positive rate of DQB1*0201 correlates positively with that of GADA.

[Gliquidon induced-desensitization of pancreatic beta cells and the partial reversion of responsiveness after the desensitization of exposure to drug in normal and STZ type 2 diabetic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To test if gliquidone (gli) induces beta cells desensitization as other sulfonylurea (Su) and the features of the reversion of responsiveness. METHODS: An obese type 2 diabetic (DM2) rat model was developed, for which low dose streptozocin (STZ, 25 mg/L) was injected i.p. into Wistar rats followed by high sucrose-fat diet feeding for 8 weeks as described previously. Islet cells from normal and DM2 rats were isolated and cultured over 24 h in a medium with or without gli and the static Ins secretion at various time intervals were measured by RIA. These islet cells either untreated or pre-treated for 24 h with various dosages of gli (500; 1000; 1500 ng/ml) were perifused by a column perifusion system. Ins release in response to the corresponding doses of gli was evaluated. RESULTS: Insulin secretion decreased remarkably under the static stimuli to DM2 islets, compared with that of the normal controls (P < 0.05). Insulin secretion in normal islets in response to 500 and 1000 ng/ml gli rose to a peak level at the second hour, and then declined with the time, but the islets did not respond to 1500 ng/ml gli. Gli pre-treated islets gave no response to acute gli stimuli. Short term (10 min) removal of the islets from gli-exposure could not reverse the responsiveness; however, after the exposure to gli being discontinued for 20 h, desensitization could be reverted completely in use of 500 ng/ml gli; partially in use of 1000 ng/ml gli; but not in use of 1500 ng/ml gli. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the exposure of beta cell to gli at various concentrations induced selective desensitization of the beta cell to gli stimuli; and the desensitization could be reverted completely or partially after the exposure being discontinued for 20 h to 500 ng/ml and 1000 ng/ml but not to 1500 ng/ml gli, respectively. The restoration of the response of beta cell to gli stimuli was dose-dependent and time-dependent.

[Spectrophotometry determination of roxithromycin based on charge transfer reaction].

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of Roxithromycin has been developed based on the charge transfer reaction between Roxithromycin as donor and cresol red as acceptor. The conditions of reaction have been studied. The reaction time, reaction temperature, reaction medium and the concentration of reagent was ten min, 35 degrees C, alcohol-acetone solution and 6 x 10(-4) mol.L-1 respectively. The apparent molar absorptivity of complex was 1.05 x 10(4) L.mol-1.cm-1 at 456 nm. The Beer's law was obeyed in the range of 0-80 mg.L-1 of Roxithromycin with correlation coefficient 0.9997. The recovery was over 98%. The composition of the charge transfer complex between Roxithromycin and cresol red was 1:1. The reaction mechanism has been discussed based on the composition of the complex. The present method has been applied to the determination of Roxithromycin in capsules with satisfactory results.

[Molecular scanning of candidate mtDNA gene fragment in diabetic pedigrees].

OBJECTIVE: To explore novel pathogenic mutation in the mitochondrial DNA gene in diabetic pedigree. METHODS: Twenty-eight suspected mitochondrial DNA diabetic families were recruited. The gene fragment was produced by PCR, and mutation was detected by direct sequencing. RESULTS: In one pedigree, the proband and her mother were found carrying the most common nt3243 A --> G mutation and another 16S rRNA 3205C --> T mutation. But only 3205C --> T was found in her affected brother. All the two patients were deaf and developed diabetes in early age, characterized by impaired beta cell function and low body mass index (BMI). The proband had relatively higher lactic acid concentration than normal individuals. A novel ND1 gene 3434 A --> G(TAT --> TGT) mutation was explored in another proband with deafness and her affected family members. CONCLUSION: 16SrRNA 3205C --> T mutation was found in a mitochondrial diabetes mellitus pedigree, implying its potential pathogenic role in diabetes. Another novel ND1 3434 A --> G mutation was found in another diabetic pedigree. Because this mutation causes amino acid change (Tyr --> Cys) and is co-segregated with diabetes, it may be diabetogenic.