Accuracy of lingual fixed retainers fabricated using a CAD/CAM bending machine.

Objective: Lingual fixed retainers, made from 0.0175-inch 3-strand twisted stainless steel wire (TW) and 0.016 × 0.

Relative Density-Based Intuitionistic Fuzzy SVM for Class Imbalance Learning.

The support vector machine (SVM) has been combined with the intuitionistic fuzzy set to suppress the negative impact of noises and outliers in classification. However, it has some inherent defects, resulting in the inaccurate prior distribution estimation for datasets, especially the imbalanced datasets with non-normally distributed data, further reducing the performance of the classification model for imbalance learning. To solve these problems, we propose a novel relative density-based intuitionistic fuzzy support vector machine (RIFSVM) algorithm for imbalanced learning in the presence of noise and outliers.

Hepatitis B Immunoprophylactic Failure and Characteristics of the Hepatitis B Virus Gene in Mother-Infant Pairs in Parts of China.

Objective: To determine the hepatitis B immunoprophylactic failure rate in infants born to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected mothers and to characterize HBV genes.

Methods: HBV-serological testing was conducted for pregnant women and infants. The complete genomes of 30 HBV isolates were sequenced, and genetic characteristics were analyzed using MEGA 5 software.

Histomorphometrical and clinical study of connective tissue around titanium dental implants with porous surfaces in a canine model.

Connective tissue (CT) reactions and collagen fiber orientation were evaluated on titanium implants with porous surfaces made by a laser method. Three groups in which the diameters of pores were 10 ± 5 µm, 40 ± 5 µm, and 70 ± 5 µm were involved in this test, together with a machined group as control. A total of 24 implants were randomly placed in mandibles after 3 months of premolars and the first molar extraction in beagle dogs.

Combination of hyaluronic acid hydrogel scaffold and PLGA microspheres for supporting survival of neural stem cells.

Purpose: To develop a biomaterial composite for promoting proliferation and migration of neural stem cells (NSCs), as well as angiogenesis on the materials, to rescue central nervous system (CNS) injuries.

Methods: A delivery system was constructed based on cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels, containing embedded BDNF and VEGF-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres for controlled delivery and support for NSCs in the CNS. The surface morphologies were evaluated by SEM and AFM, mechanical property was investigated by rheological tests, and release kinetics were performed by ELISA.

N-[3-(2-Methyl-phen-yl)isoquinolin-1-yl]formamide.

The title compound, C(17)H(14)N(2)O, crystallizes as a cis formamide isomer. The isoquinoline and benzene fragments are nearly perpendicular [dihedral angle = 81.79 (18)°], whereas the formamide group is virtually coplanar with the isoquinoline unit [dihedral angle = 1.

Implantation of neural stem cells embedded in hyaluronic acid and collagen composite conduit promotes regeneration in a rabbit facial nerve injury model.

The implantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in artificial scaffolds for peripheral nerve injuries draws much attention. NSCs were ex-vivo expanded in hyaluronic acid (HA)-collagen composite with neurotrophin-3, and BrdU-labeled NSCs conduit was implanted onto the ends of the transected facial nerve of rabbits. Electromyography demonstrated a progressive decrease of current threshold and increase of voltage amplitude in de-innervated rabbits after implantation for one, four, eight and 12 weeks compared to readouts derived from animals prior to nerve transection.

Importance of small pores in microcrystalline cellulose for controlling water distribution during extrusion-spheronization.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of particle size on the wet massing behavior of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). In this study, a series of six fractionated MCC grades were customized and specially classified to yield different particle size varieties of the standard grade, Comprecel M101. All seven MCC grades were extensively characterized for the physical properties and wet massing behavior using mixer torque rheometry.

Folate-conjugated polymer micelles for active targeting to cancer cells: preparation, in vitro evaluation of targeting ability and cytotoxicity.

To obtain an active-targeting carrier to cancer cells, folate-conjugated stearic acid grafted chitosan oligosaccharide (Fa-CSOSA) was synthesized by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)-mediated coupling reaction. The substitution degree is 22.1%.

Preparation and characteristic of vinorelbine bitartrate-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles.

A hydrophilic and temperature-induced degradation drug, vinorelbine bitartrate (VB)-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared by a cold homogenization technique. The physicochemical properties of the SLNs, with various lipid composition, drug content and altered homogenizing times, were investigated. The mean particle size of the SLNs ranged from 150 to 350 nm.

Preparation and evaluation of solid dispersions of nitrendipine prepared with fine silica particles using the melt-mixing method.

Solid dispersions (SD) of nitrendipine (NTD), a poorly water-soluble drug, were prepared using the melt-mixing method with hydrophilic silica particles (Aerosil and Sylysia) with different particle size and specific surface areas as carriers. Powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry evaluation showed that NTD in the SDs treated with the melt-mixing method was dispersed in the amorphous state. FT-IR spectroscopy obtained with the SDs indicated the presence of hydrogen bonding between the secondary amine groups of NTD and silanol groups of silica particles.

Preparation and evaluation of solid dispersion for nitrendipine-carbopol and nitrendipine-HPMCP systems using a twin screw extruder.

In the present study, we prepared solid dispersions of the poorly water-soluble drug nitrendipine (NIT) using the twin screw extruder method with high-molecular-weight substances, hydroxypropylmethylcellulosephthalate (HPMCP) and Carbopol (CAR), as carriers. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evaluation showed that solid dispersions can be formed when NIT-HPMCP and NIT-CAR mixtures are treated with the twin screw extruder method. Fourier Transformation IR Spectroscopy (FT-IR) obtained with NIT-HPMCP and NIT-CAR solid dispersions indicated the presence of hydrogen bonding between the drug and the carriers.

Preparation of sustained-release nitrendipine microspheres with Eudragit RS and Aerosil using quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method.

Sustained-release nitrendipine microspheres were prepared in liquid system by quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method, in which the Aerosil was employed as an inert dispersing carrier to improve the dissolution rate of nitrendipine, and Eudragit RS as a retarding agent to control the release rate. The resultant microspheres were evaluated for the recovery, bulk density, average particle size, drug loading, and incorporation efficiency. And the factors affecting the formation of microspheres and the drug-release rate were investigated.