Phospholipid conjugate for intracellular delivery of peptide nucleic acids.

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) have a number of attractive features that have made them an ideal choice for antisense and antigene-based tools, probes, and drugs, but their poor membrane permeability has limited their application as therapeutic or diagnostic agents. Herein, we report a general method for the synthesis of phospholipid-PNAs (LP-PNAs) and compare the effect of noncleavable lipids and bioreductively cleavable lipids (L and LSS) and phospholipid (LP) on the splice-correcting bioactivity of a PNA bearing the cell penetrating Arg9 group (PNA-R9). While the three constructs show similar and increasing bioactivity at 1-3 microM, the activity of LP-PNA-R9 continues to increase from 4-6 microM, while the activity of L-PNA-R9 remains constant and that of LSS-PNA-R9 decreases rapidly in parallel with their relative cytotoxicity.

[Characteristics of metals pollution in expressway stormwater runoff].

Heavy metal concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were monitored during 10 rainfall runoff events occurred on a representative expressway road in Nanjing. Discharge rule of metal pollution, event mean concentrations (EMC) and the effect of hydrologic characteristics were evaluated. The results indicated that the discharge characteristics were various in different types of rainfall events.

[Establishment of cervical vertebral skeletal maturation of female children in Shanghai].

Purpose: To establish a method for quantitatively evaluating skeletal maturation of cervical vertebrae of female children in Shanghai.

Methods: The samples were selected from lateral cephalometric radiographs of 240 Shanghai girls, aged 8 to 15 years. The parameters were measured to indicate the morphological changes of the third (C3) and fourth (C4) vertebrae in width, height and the depth of the inferior curvature.

Cationic shell-cross-linked knedel-like (cSCK) nanoparticles for highly efficient PNA delivery.

Peptide nucleic acids have a number of features that make them an ideal platform for the development of in vitro biological probes and tools. Unfortunately, their inability to pass through membranes has limited their in vivo application as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Herein, we describe the development of cationic shell-cross-linked knedel-like (cSCK) nanoparticles as highly efficient vehicles for the delivery of PNAs into cells, either through electrostatic complexation with a PNA * ODN hybrid, or through a bioreductively cleavable disulfide linkage to a PNA.

1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthyl-meth-yl)benzimidazolium hemi{di-μ-iodido-bis-[diiodidomercurate(II)]} dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate.

In the title compound, (C(22)H(23)N(2))[Hg(2)I(6)](0.5)·(CH(3))(2)SO, the 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthyl-meth-yl)benzimidazolium anion lies across a centre of inversion. The dihedral angle between the benzimidazolium and naphthalene ring systems is 81.

[The relationship between the stability of microimplants and factors of gender and age].

Purpose: To summarize the clinical failure rate of 286 self-drilling microimplant anchorages and to investigate the relationship between the stability of microimplant anchorages and the patient's gender and age.

Methods: The failure rate of 286 self-drilling microimplants placed in the maxillary posterior region for anterior teeth retraction was analyzed. All 143 cases were sorted into male group and female group by gender, as well as children group and adult group by age.

The effects of a newly designed twin-slot bracket on severely malpositioned teeth--a typodont experimental study.

The aims of this study were to design a twin-slot bracket featuring two horizontal slots and to examine its efficiency in tooth displacement. Based on the structure of a traditional edgewise bracket, an additional slot was added to a twin-slot bracket and the prototype products were fabricated for the typodont experiments. The orthodontic correction of malpositioned canines was conducted on a typodont to examine the efficiency of the twin-slot bracket in tooth displacement compared with a single-slot edgewise bracket.

Identification of cancer stem-like cells in the C6 glioma cell line and the limitation of current identification methods.

The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis has provided insights into the initiation and recurrence of brain tumor. Specific identification and targeted elimination of these CSCs within the tumor mass represents a promising therapeutic strategy for refractory brain tumors. In this study, we attempted to identify CSCs in the rat C6 glioma cell line by three different identification methods.

11C-NMSP/ 18F-FDG microPET to monitor neural stem cell transplantation in a rat model of traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: To investigate whether (11)C-N-methylspiperone ((11)C-NMSP) microPET could be used for imaging neural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation in a rat model of traumatic brain injury.

Methods: NSCs were induced to express dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD(2)), then confirmed by RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. Eighteen rats were subjected to focal traumatic brain injury in the right parietal lobe and then assigned randomly to the transplantation group and the control group.

Effect of low magnitude and high frequency mechanical stimuli on defects healing in cranial bones.

Purpose: The aim of this investigation was to assess the effect of low magnitude high frequency (LMHF) mechanical vibrated stimulation on healing the defects surgically imposed on craniofacial bones.

Materials And Methods: Forty 12-week-old C3H strain mice were separated into surgical and non-surgical groups. The surgical groups had a reproducible surgical bony lesion prepared in their right parietal bone.

Traditional Chinese drug ShuXueTong facilitates angiogenesis during wound healing following traumatic brain injury.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: ShuXueTong injection is a traditional Chinese drug designed to treat the patients of "blood stasis and stagnation (yu xue yu zhi)", including subacute brain trauma. However, the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of ShuXueTong on traumatic brain injury is unknown yet.

Aim Of The Study: We hypothesized that ShuXueTong may promote the brain wound healing by facilitating angiogenesis.

Immobilization of lead in shooting range soils by means of cement, quicklime, and phosphate amendments.

Background, Aim, And Scope: Lead (Pb) contamination at shooting range sites is increasingly under environmental concern. Controlling Pb leachability from shooting range soil media is an important step to minimize Pb exposure to the surrounding environment. This study investigated stabilization of Pb in shooting range soils treated with cement, quicklime, and phosphate.

Mandibular functional positioning only in vertical dimension contributes to condylar adaptation evidenced by concomitant expressions of L-Sox5 and type II collagen.

Objective: Concerted expressions of L-Sox5 and type II collagen play an important part in osteogenic transition in epiphyseal cartilage. This study was designed to elucidate the role of mandibular vertical functional positioning in condylar adaptive remodelling by examining L-Sox5 and type II collagen expressions in condylar cartilage.

Design: 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats at age of 5 weeks were randomly divided into the experimental (n=20) and control groups (n=20).

Accuracy of bracket placement by orthodontists and inexperienced dental students.

Background: Well-finished orthodontic treatment begins with accurate positioning of the brackets on the teeth.

Aims: To compare the positions of orthodontic brackets placed by experienced clinicians and inexperienced trainees.

Methods: Twenty orthodontists (13 male, 7 female) representing experienced specialists, and 20 final year dental students (10 male, 10 female) representing inexperienced trainees, were asked to bond pre-adjusted straight-wire brackets at the centres of the clinical crowns of the teeth in a Class I crowded typodont set-up.

Contributors to estrogenic activity in wastewater from a large wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China.

Wastewater at various stages of treatment was sampled from a large wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Beijing, China. A fractionation method was conducted to identify the dominant contributors to estrogenic activity of those samples using silica gel column chromatography combined with a recombinant yeast bioassay for detecting estrogenic activity and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for quantifying estrogenic substances. Total estradiol equivalents (EEQ) found in the influent and effluent of the WWTP were 15.

Design and synthesis of macrocyclic peptidyl hydroxamates as peptide deformylase inhibitors.

Macrocyclic peptidyl hydroxamates were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as peptide deformylase (PDF) inhibitors. The most potent compound exhibited tight, slow-binding inhibition of Escherichia coli PDF (K(I)(*)=4.4 nM) and had potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis (MIC=2-4 microg/mL).

A novel pressure film approach for determining the force imparted by clear removable thermoplastic appliances.

The force imparted by removable thermoplastic appliances (RTA) onto teeth has not been investigated in the past. This investigation was designed to explore a novel methodology to measure the magnitude and identify the pattern of this force. Eight patients with moderate malocclusion were selected.

A follow-up study of dental and skeletal changes associated with mandibular advancement splint use in obstructive sleep apnea.

Introduction: Mandibular advancement splints (MAS) are a recognized therapeutic option in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study aimed to investigate side effects and possible changes in the dentofacial complex associated with long term use of MAS.

Methods: The sample included 64 patients with OSA who had been using MAS on average for 25.

Excess adhesive flash upon bracket placement. A typodont study comparing APC PLUS and Transbond XT.

Objective: To determine if there is any significant difference in excess adhesive flash (EAF) with the use of APC PLUS adhesive coated appliance system and Transbond XT and if other variables such as side of the mouth, time taken to bond the brackets, the age of the orthodontic specialist, or the years of clinical experience affected the amount of EAF.

Materials And Methods: Twenty orthodontic specialists bonded 20 preadjusted straight wire brackets (Victory, 3M Unitek) on a typodont with a Class I crowded malocclusion in a split-mouth design, with one-half of the brackets bonded with APC PLUS adhesive system and the other half with Transbond XT. The teeth were sputter coated with gold and an image was taken at 32x magnification in a scanning electron microscope (Philips XL30).

Traumatic carotid cavernous fistula accompanying basilar skull fracture: a study on the incidence of traumatic carotid cavernous fistula in the patients with basilar skull fracture and the prognostic analysis about traumatic carotid cavernous fistula.

Background: Traumatic carotid cavernous fistula (TCCF) is a rare vascular complication of traumatic brain and facial injury. The purpose of this study was to analyze the incidence of this disorder in different types of basilar skull fracture, determine whether particular clinical factors impacted outcomes, and discuss ways of improving prognosis.

Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of cases with basilar skull fracture or angiography-confirmed TCCF in inpatients between 1999 and 2005, as well as an analysis of the incidence rate of TCCF in each type of basilar skull fracture.

Endoscope-assisted supraorbital keyhole approach for the resection of benign tumors of the sellar region.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the supraorbital "keyhole" approach with endoscope assistance in surgical treatment of benign tumors around the sellar region. Thirty-five patients, including 19 pituitary tumors, 11 craniopharyngiomas and five tuberculum sellae meningiomas, were enrolled in this study. The tumors were resected through an endoscope-assisted supraorbital keyhole approach via a small skin incision within the eyebrow.

A comparison of accuracy in bracket positioning between two techniques--localizing the centre of the clinical crown and measuring the distance from the incisal edge.

The placement of orthodontic brackets is guided either by localizing the centre of the clinical crown (CC) or by measuring the distance from incisal edge (ME). The purpose of this study was to examine if there are any significant differences in the accuracy of bracket positioning between these two techniques. Typodont models were simulated with a Class I malocclusion with severe crowding.

[Diagnosis and micro-neurosurgery for the fourth cerebral ventricle tumors].

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic method and analyze the result of microneurosurgical treatment for tumors of the fourth cerebral ventricle.

Methods: Tumor of the fourth ventricle was clinically diagnosed in 86 patients basing on the preliminary assessment of symptom and CT or MRI findings. Of these 86 patients treated with micro-neurosurgery, the tumors in 62 were totally removed, subtotally in 19, and partially in 5.