A novel pair of oleanane nor-triterpenes,with compound 1 featuring a unique 18α-H structure,was isolated from mastic,and this compound represents a noteworthy new entity not previously reported in the literature.The ...A novel pair of oleanane nor-triterpenes,with compound 1 featuring a unique 18α-H structure,was isolated from mastic,and this compound represents a noteworthy new entity not previously reported in the literature.The absolute configurations of their structures were further determined using a combination of different analytical methods such as NMR,high-resolution mass spectrometry(HR-MS),ultraviolet(UV),infrared(IR)and single-crystal X-ray diffraction(SXRD).The compound actively mitigated inflammations by efficiently quenching nitric oxide(NO)synthesis within an ex vivo system using lipopolysaccharide activated murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells.Moreover,compound 1 exhibit a better IC_(50) concentration of 11.69±1.39µM,surpassing the efficacy of the positive control dexamethasone,which exhibited an IC50 of 23.21±1.17μM.While compound 2 also demonstrated inhibitory activity,its potency was comparatively weaker,with an IC_(50) of 26.18±2.66μM.展开更多
To study the influence of fiber on the properties of asphalt mortar,the properties of lignin fiber,polyester fiber,and basalt fiber were summarized and analyzed respectively.The high-and low-temperature properties of ...To study the influence of fiber on the properties of asphalt mortar,the properties of lignin fiber,polyester fiber,and basalt fiber were summarized and analyzed respectively.The high-and low-temperature properties of fiber asphalt mortar were studied and analyzed by using three indexes,rutting factor and tensile fracture energy.The results showed that all three kinds of fibers could improve the performance of asphalt mortar to varying degrees,with lignin fiber demonstrating the best effect,followed by basalt fiber and polyester fiber.The type the fiber can be selected based on the required thermal stability and cost depending on the project type.展开更多
BACKGROUND Bruxism is a rhythmic masticatory muscle activity that occurs involuntarily in a non-physiologically functional state.There is a lack of research classifying the functional status of masticatory muscles in ...BACKGROUND Bruxism is a rhythmic masticatory muscle activity that occurs involuntarily in a non-physiologically functional state.There is a lack of research classifying the functional status of masticatory muscles in patients with different mandibular movement types(centric clenching or eccentric grinding)of bruxism.AIM To assess the differences of the masticatory muscle activity in patients with different types of bruxism.METHODS A total of 21 subjects with centric bruxism(CB)and 21 subjects with eccentric bruxism(ECB)were screened from college students according to a questionnaire and their tooth wear features.Sixteen subjects with no bruxism were also recruited.The surface electromyography(EMG)signals of the temporalis anterior(TA)and superficial masseter muscle(MM)were measured in different mandibular positions and during the chewing task.The EMG amplitude and chewing cycle duration parameters were then analyzed.RESULTS The CB group showed fewer muscle maximal motor units,with the MM being more pronounced,a higher proportion of muscle contractions to be recruited for the same load of chewing activity,and a longer chewing cycle.The ECB group showed more TA maximal motor units and higher MM activity on the nonworking side in unilateral chewing.CONCLUSION CB mainly affects the MM,and patients with CB show reduced masticatory muscle contraction efficiency and chewing cycle efficiency.ECB mainly affects the TA,and patients with ECB show enhanced contraction of non-functional lateral muscle bundles.展开更多
AIM： To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn＇s disease （CD）. METHODS： The study was conducted in patients with establis...AIM： To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn＇s disease （CD）. METHODS： The study was conducted in patients with established mildly to moderately active CD, attending the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Recruited to a 4 wk treatment with mastic caps （6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap） were 10 patients and 8 controls, all of who successfully completed the protocol. Interleukin-6 （IL-6）, tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）, macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF） and intracellular antioxidant glutathione （GSH） were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC） before and after treatment. RESULTS： Treating CD patients with mastic resulted in the reduction of TNF-α secretion （2.1 ± 0.9 ng/mL vs 0.5 ± 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.028）. MIF release was significantly increased （1.2±0.4 ng/mL vs 2.5 ± 0.7 ng/mL, P = 0.026） meaning that random migration and chemotaxis of monocytes/macrophages was inhibited. No significant changes were observed in IL-6, MCP-1 and GSH concentrations. CONCLUSION： This study shows that mastic acts as an immunomodulator on PBIC, acting as a TNF-α inhibitor and a MIF stimulator. Although further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a large number of patients is required to clarify the role of this natural product, this finding provides strong evidence that mastic might be an important regulator of immunity in CD.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of mastic administra-tion on the clinical course and plasma inflammatory me-diators of patients with active Crohn’s disease (CD).METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in patients ...AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of mastic administra-tion on the clinical course and plasma inflammatory me-diators of patients with active Crohn’s disease (CD).METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in patients with established mild to moderately active CD, attend-ing the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Ten patients and 8 controls were recruited for a 4-wk treatment with mastic caps (6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap). All patients successfully completed the protocol. CD Ac-tivity Index (CDAI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), C-re-active protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and total antioxidant potential (TAP) were evaluated in the plasma at baseline and at the end of the treatment period. Results were expressed as mean values ± SE and P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.RESULTS: Patients exhibited significant reduction of CDAI (222.9 ± 18.7 vs 136.3 ± 12.3, P = 0.05) as com-pared to pretreament values. Plasma IL-6 was signifi-cantly decreased (21.2 ± 9.3 pg/mL vs 7.2 ± 2.8 pg/ mL, P = 0.027), and so did CRP (40.3 ± 13.1 mg/mL vs 19.7 ± 5.5, P = 0.028). TAP was significantly increased (0.15 ± 0.09 vs 0.57 ± 0.15 mmol/L uric acid, P = 0.036). No patient or control exhibited any kind of side effects. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that mastic signifi-cantly decreased the activity index and the plasma levels of IL-6 and CRP in patients with mildly to moderately ac-tive CD. Further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a larger number of patients are required to clarify the role of this natural product in the treatment of patients with CD.展开更多
In this study, a natural gum mastic was evaluated as a microencapsulating and matrixforming material for sustained drug release. Mastic was characterized for its physicochemical properties. Microparticles were prepare...In this study, a natural gum mastic was evaluated as a microencapsulating and matrixforming material for sustained drug release. Mastic was characterized for its physicochemical properties. Microparticles were prepared by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. Matrix tablets were prepared by wet and melt granulation techniques. Diclofenac sodium(DFS) and diltiazem hydrochloride(DLTZ) were used as model drugs. Mastic produced discrete and spherical microspheres with DLTZ and microcapsules with DFS. Particle size and drug loading of microparticles was in the range of 22–62 μm and 50–87%, respectively. Increase in mastic:drug ratio increased microparticle size, improved drug loading and decreased the drug release rate. Microparticles with gum: drug ratio of 2:1 could sustain DLTZ release up to 12 h and released 57% DFS in 12 h. Mastic produced tablets with acceptable pharmacotechnical properties. A 30% w/w of mastic in tablet could sustain DLTZ release for 5 h from wet granulation,and DFS release for 8 h and 11 h from wet and melt granulation, respectively. Results revealed that a natural gum mastic can be used successfully to formulate matrix tablets and microparticles for sustained drug release.展开更多
In order to investigate the viscoelastic performance of asphalt mastics, a micro-mechanical model for asphalt mastics was built by applying Burgers model to discrete element simulation and constructing Burgers contact...In order to investigate the viscoelastic performance of asphalt mastics, a micro-mechanical model for asphalt mastics was built by applying Burgers model to discrete element simulation and constructing Burgers contact model. Then the numerical simulation of creep tests was conducted, and results from the simulation were compared with the analytical solution for Burgers model. The comparision showed that the two results agreed well with each other, suggesting that discrete element model based on Burgers model could be employed in the numerical simulation for asphalt mastics.展开更多
The characters of basalt fiber are analyzed and compared with commonly used fibers. The rheological behaviors of the basalt fiber reinforced asphalt mastic are investigated by the dynamic shear rheological tests and t...The characters of basalt fiber are analyzed and compared with commonly used fibers. The rheological behaviors of the basalt fiber reinforced asphalt mastic are investigated by the dynamic shear rheological tests and the repeated creep tests. The results show that basalt fiber has excellent reinforced performances, such as high asphalt absorption ratio, low water absorption ratio, high tensile strength, high elastic modulus and high temperature stability. The rutting factor of the fiber reinforced asphalt mastic is higher than the plain asphalt mastic and the reinforced effects are more remarkable under high temperature. The rheological performances of the asphalt mastic demonstrate a good linear relationship between different temperature and loading frequency. The creep stiffness modulus of the asphalt mastic at different loading time can be expressed by power function. Improved Burgers model is used to represent the rheological behaviors of the asphalt mastic with basalt fiber and the model parameters are estimated.展开更多
Mastic gum is derived from the tree named Pistacia lentiscus that is grown only in Island Hios of Greek.Since Mastic was first reported to kill Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)in 1998,there has been no further study to e...Mastic gum is derived from the tree named Pistacia lentiscus that is grown only in Island Hios of Greek.Since Mastic was first reported to kill Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)in 1998,there has been no further study to elucidate which component of mastic specifically shows the antimicrobial activity against H.pylori.In this study,we examined which component of mastic gum was responsible for anti-H.pylori activity.We prepared the essential oil of mastic gum and identified 20 constituents by GC–MS analysis.Ten standard components were assayed for anti-H.pylori activity,and it clarified that a-terpineol and(E)-methyl isoeugenol showed the anti-H.pylori activity against four different H.pylori strains that were established from patients with gastritis,gastric ulcer and gastric cancer.These components could be useful to overcome the drug-resistance H.pylori growth in stomach.展开更多
In order to describe the three-stage creep behavior of compressed asphalt mastic, a visco-elastoplastic damage constitutive model is proposed in this work. The model parameters are treated as quadratic polynomial func...In order to describe the three-stage creep behavior of compressed asphalt mastic, a visco-elastoplastic damage constitutive model is proposed in this work. The model parameters are treated as quadratic polynomial functions with respect to stress and temperature. A series of uniaxial compressive creep experiments are performed at various stress and temperature conditions in order to determine these parameter functions, and then the proposed model is validated by comparison between the predictions and experiments at the other loading conditions. It is shown that very small permanent deformation at low stress and temperature increases rapidly with elevated stress or temperature and the damage may initiate in the stationary stage but mainly develops in the accelerated stage. Compared with the visco-elastoplastic models without damage, the predictions from the proposed model is in better agreement with the experiments, and can better capture the rate-dependency in creep responses of asphalt mastic especially below its softening point of 47 ℃展开更多
A new automatic rotary compactor and its abilities in compacting stone mastic asphalt （SMA） are presented. Following an overview of the rotary compactor and the compaction procedure, it is demonstrated that the rota...A new automatic rotary compactor and its abilities in compacting stone mastic asphalt （SMA） are presented. Following an overview of the rotary compactor and the compaction procedure, it is demonstrated that the rotary compactor is able to produce uniform slabs with the desired thickness of 65 mm all over around. Furthermore, 132 cored samples from the rotary compactor had been compacted uniformly with approximately 4% optimum air void content. In addition, performance tests results indicate that the rotary compactor produces asphalt mixturures with the requirements of resilient modulus, Marshall stability and flow. A weight factor was introduced for each fraction of aggregates in the degradation analysis to compensate the crushing effect of aggregates during mixing and compacting.展开更多
Chios mastic gum(CMG),the resin produced by the trunk of Pistachia lentiscus var Chia,has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes since antiquity.Despite the fact that Pistacia species are widely distributed thr...Chios mastic gum(CMG),the resin produced by the trunk of Pistachia lentiscus var Chia,has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes since antiquity.Despite the fact that Pistacia species are widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and in the circum-Mediterranean regions,CMG is a distinctive resin of the mastic trees grown exclusively in the southern part of the island of Chios.CMG has been used for centuries as a spice,a cosmetic,but its most important usage has been as a strong phytotherapeutic therapy,primarily for the management of gastrointestinal diseases.Recently,there are studies demonstrating that CMG has hypolipidemic,cardioprotective and antidiabetic properties.Therefore,the aim of the present review is to summarize the existing literature data regarding the potential beneficial effects of CMG on cardiometabolic risk factors.展开更多
The aim of this paper is to describe the possibilities of analyzing human mastication. The development of a standardized food model is presented. Based on the findings of a systematic literature search an elastic food...The aim of this paper is to describe the possibilities of analyzing human mastication. The development of a standardized food model is presented. Based on the findings of a systematic literature search an elastic food model was created with the aim of standardizing size and elastic properties. Three different eatable jellied products were chosen, created by a changing of the amount of gelatin (260 Blooms) related to the total mass of the standard jellied food. The different hardness were classified in soft, medium and hard, flavored identically, but stained with different colors: soft-green, medium-yellow, hard-red. A cylindrical form was chosen with a height of 1 cm and a diameter of 2 cm. A standard protocol for analyzing chewing patterns in men was created. The condylographic data off several patients are described in details to demonstrate the possible clinical implementation. The newly developed standard food model (SFM) showed the capability to serve in experimental settings to analyze human mastication, although only a few patients have been examined. In addition, strength and size of the newly developed SFM load the masticatory system in an extent;it should be possible to disclose subclinical symptoms of patients within a short time of examination. The diagnostic procedure of temporo-mandibular disorder (TMD) should be endorsed by this new method. The condylographic data created by a standardized protocol should have the ability to enhance the clinical functional analysis of patients previous to restorative dental procedures.展开更多
Myositis ossificans (MO) is an extraskeletal tumor-like lesion with bone formation, and is relatively rare in the head and neck region. We report herein a clinicopathological analysis of MO associated with a muscle of...Myositis ossificans (MO) is an extraskeletal tumor-like lesion with bone formation, and is relatively rare in the head and neck region. We report herein a clinicopathological analysis of MO associated with a muscle of mastication. The patient was a 70-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a tumorous mass in the right parotid area and no history of trauma. The surgically excised tumorous lesion consisted of proliferating fibroblastic cells with no atypia in the central portion, and a formation of trabecular osteoid and/or bony tissue in the peripheral portion as the so-called “zonal phenomenon”. The final histological diagnosis was MO, and the lesion was located in the posterior belly of the digastric muscle on computer tomography. A review of the literature showed that many cases of MO predominantly affected the medial pterygoid and masseter muscle and showed a history of previous trauma. The present case represents a rare case of nontraumatic MO in the uncommon location of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.展开更多
The essential oil and gum of Pistachia lentiscus var. Chia, commonly known as the mastic gum tree, are natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents that have found extensive uses in food, beverages and medicine in rec...The essential oil and gum of Pistachia lentiscus var. Chia, commonly known as the mastic gum tree, are natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents that have found extensive uses in food, beverages and medicine in recent years. In this work, the chemical composition of the hydro-distilled essential oil of mastic gum was evaluated by GC-MS （gas chromatography-mass spectrometry） technique and the majority of their components were identified. Twenty nine different compounds were identified and quantified. The gum oil contained monoterpene, hydrocarbons, sesquitepenes, and also oxygen-containing monoterpenes. The main constituents of the gum oil are ct-pinene which follow β-pinene and β-myrcene. Essential oil of mastic gum is valuable product in food industries and in folklore medicine due to its antimicrobial and antimutagenic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the principal congeners of these valuable natural ＂resin tears＂ of the tree which are used in flavoring liquors, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.展开更多
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether partial removable denture use indeed leads to improved oral health related quality of life and masticatory function. Materials and Methods: Partially edentulous patients p...The aim of this study was to evaluate whether partial removable denture use indeed leads to improved oral health related quality of life and masticatory function. Materials and Methods: Partially edentulous patients presenting for removable denture treatment at the Prosthodontics Service in the Hospital Affiliated to Kinshasa University (Democratic Republic of Congo) were assessed for enrolment in this study. After applying exclusion criteria, 378 patients were included in the study, and randomly assigned into 2 groups. Oral health related quality of life (OHIP-23) and mastication time (MaT), number of chewing cycles (MaC), mastication frequency (MaF), and the sizes of the peanut fragments (FraS) were compared in both groups. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The average MaC, MaT, MaF, and FraS were 119 (± SD 53.70), 86.75 (±SD 35.35), 1.38 (±SD 0.25), and 3.3 (±SD 3.25) for the denture group and 77.9 (±SD 23.9), 60.2 (±SD 17.91), 1.29 (±SD 0.15), and 1.5 (±SD 0.7) for the non-denture group, respectively. Conclusion: The overall oral health related quality of life was best in the non-denture than denture.展开更多
Terpenoids are novel natural products isolated from mastic gum.Mastic gum was obtained from the Pistacia Lentiscus tree.Scientific investigations have documented medical and pharmacological properties of mastic gum su...Terpenoids are novel natural products isolated from mastic gum.Mastic gum was obtained from the Pistacia Lentiscus tree.Scientific investigations have documented medical and pharmacological properties of mastic gum such as memory enhancement,antifungal,and antibacterial activities.It was astonishing to study the possible interaction of mastic gum extract with microtubule proteins which are involved in memory and consciousness since the administration of mastic gum is evidenced in the improvement of brain functions.Since a number of studies have demonstrated the effect of microtubule dynamics on mammals'memory,in this study,we investigated the effect of Oxygenated Sesquiterpenes(OST)on microtubule polymerization in vitro.OST was purified from the ethanolic extract of mastic gum.The results revealed that OST induces microtubule polymerization;however,microtubule depolymerization was not affected and fluorometric assays showed conformational changes of tubulin in the presence of OST.We interestingly found that colchicine was unable to inhibit MT assembly in the presence of OST and OST was solely more efficient than the combination of OST with paclitaxel for elevating microtubule polymerization rate.We hope that OST could be a promising agent for memory enhancement and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases as a novel tubulin-binding compound.展开更多
Stone mastic asphalt(SMA)has not been widely used in the pavement industry,and there are no detailed design specifications for this type of asphalt.Therefore,long-term behavior properties of this pavement type are not...Stone mastic asphalt(SMA)has not been widely used in the pavement industry,and there are no detailed design specifications for this type of asphalt.Therefore,long-term behavior properties of this pavement type are not accessible widely,and no model has been established for SMA regarding its performance.The main purpose of this study was to incorporate expert experience(using the Markov-chain process)and data from field experiments to propose a model for SMA performance using the Bayesian approach.The implementation of these sources resulted in a well-organized method to develop a performance model for SMA pavements,which did not have a long-term data.Finally,a linear performance model was established to calculate the SMA service life.The service life of SMA can be predicted explicitly according to the developed performance model which has been validated using a new set of data.展开更多
The filler-bitumen interaction mechanism is one of the most essential phases for comprehending the asphalt mixture's performance.However,despite numerous studies,in-depth knowledge of filler-bitumen reciprocity at...The filler-bitumen interaction mechanism is one of the most essential phases for comprehending the asphalt mixture's performance.However,despite numerous studies,in-depth knowledge of filler-bitumen reciprocity at a microscale level is yet to be ascertained.The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the fillerbitumen microscale interaction in terms of the synergy and coaction between the physicochemical and rheological performance of mastics due to filler inclusions.The rheological properties of two sustainable mastics,dolomite powder(DP)and lime kiln dust(LKD),together with a neat PEN 60/70 binder,were analysed based on a temperature sweep at elevated temperature conditions.Meanwhile,frequency sweep and multiple stress creep recovery(MSCR)tests were also conducted at pavement serviceability temperature using the dynamic shear rheometer(DSR).Physicochemical tests using a scanning electron microscope(SEM)and energy dispersive X-rays(EDX)were conducted to analyse the impact of parameters such as particle shape,grain size,texture,and chemical compositions.The DSR test results showcased how the incorporation of fillers in asphalt binder considerably improved the performance of the binder in terms of rutting and fatigue.Likewise,its strain and nonrecoverable compliance parameters were substantially reduced at higher filler and binder concentrations.Physical filler attributes of low rigden voids(R.V),high fineness modulus(FM),and high specific surface area(SSA)led to greater interfacial stiffness and elasticity in LKD mastics compared to DP mastics at different loading frequencies and temperature levels.The SEM/EDX results also indicated that the elemental calcium and carbon composition of each filler component,together with its grain morphology,strongly influenced its rheological performance.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.82060774)Key Special Projects for Enhancing Subject Comprehensive Strength at Yili Normal University(Project No.22XKZZ08)Open Project of Jiangxi Provinicial Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Research(Project No.2024SSY07051).
文摘A novel pair of oleanane nor-triterpenes,with compound 1 featuring a unique 18α-H structure,was isolated from mastic,and this compound represents a noteworthy new entity not previously reported in the literature.The absolute configurations of their structures were further determined using a combination of different analytical methods such as NMR,high-resolution mass spectrometry(HR-MS),ultraviolet(UV),infrared(IR)and single-crystal X-ray diffraction(SXRD).The compound actively mitigated inflammations by efficiently quenching nitric oxide(NO)synthesis within an ex vivo system using lipopolysaccharide activated murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells.Moreover,compound 1 exhibit a better IC_(50) concentration of 11.69±1.39µM,surpassing the efficacy of the positive control dexamethasone,which exhibited an IC50 of 23.21±1.17μM.While compound 2 also demonstrated inhibitory activity,its potency was comparatively weaker,with an IC_(50) of 26.18±2.66μM.
文摘To study the influence of fiber on the properties of asphalt mortar,the properties of lignin fiber,polyester fiber,and basalt fiber were summarized and analyzed respectively.The high-and low-temperature properties of fiber asphalt mortar were studied and analyzed by using three indexes,rutting factor and tensile fracture energy.The results showed that all three kinds of fibers could improve the performance of asphalt mortar to varying degrees,with lignin fiber demonstrating the best effect,followed by basalt fiber and polyester fiber.The type the fiber can be selected based on the required thermal stability and cost depending on the project type.
文摘BACKGROUND Bruxism is a rhythmic masticatory muscle activity that occurs involuntarily in a non-physiologically functional state.There is a lack of research classifying the functional status of masticatory muscles in patients with different mandibular movement types(centric clenching or eccentric grinding)of bruxism.AIM To assess the differences of the masticatory muscle activity in patients with different types of bruxism.METHODS A total of 21 subjects with centric bruxism(CB)and 21 subjects with eccentric bruxism(ECB)were screened from college students according to a questionnaire and their tooth wear features.Sixteen subjects with no bruxism were also recruited.The surface electromyography(EMG)signals of the temporalis anterior(TA)and superficial masseter muscle(MM)were measured in different mandibular positions and during the chewing task.The EMG amplitude and chewing cycle duration parameters were then analyzed.RESULTS The CB group showed fewer muscle maximal motor units,with the MM being more pronounced,a higher proportion of muscle contractions to be recruited for the same load of chewing activity,and a longer chewing cycle.The ECB group showed more TA maximal motor units and higher MM activity on the nonworking side in unilateral chewing.CONCLUSION CB mainly affects the MM,and patients with CB show reduced masticatory muscle contraction efficiency and chewing cycle efficiency.ECB mainly affects the TA,and patients with ECB show enhanced contraction of non-functional lateral muscle bundles.
基金Supported by a grant from the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association
文摘AIM： To assess the effects of mastic administration on cytokine production of circulating mononuclear cells of patients with active Crohn＇s disease （CD）. METHODS： The study was conducted in patients with established mildly to moderately active CD, attending the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Recruited to a 4 wk treatment with mastic caps （6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap） were 10 patients and 8 controls, all of who successfully completed the protocol. Interleukin-6 （IL-6）, tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）, macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF） and intracellular antioxidant glutathione （GSH） were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC） before and after treatment. RESULTS： Treating CD patients with mastic resulted in the reduction of TNF-α secretion （2.1 ± 0.9 ng/mL vs 0.5 ± 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.028）. MIF release was significantly increased （1.2±0.4 ng/mL vs 2.5 ± 0.7 ng/mL, P = 0.026） meaning that random migration and chemotaxis of monocytes/macrophages was inhibited. No significant changes were observed in IL-6, MCP-1 and GSH concentrations. CONCLUSION： This study shows that mastic acts as an immunomodulator on PBIC, acting as a TNF-α inhibitor and a MIF stimulator. Although further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a large number of patients is required to clarify the role of this natural product, this finding provides strong evidence that mastic might be an important regulator of immunity in CD.
基金Supported by a grant from the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association
文摘AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of mastic administra-tion on the clinical course and plasma inflammatory me-diators of patients with active Crohn’s disease (CD).METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in patients with established mild to moderately active CD, attend-ing the outpatient clinics of the hospital, and in healthy controls. Ten patients and 8 controls were recruited for a 4-wk treatment with mastic caps (6 caps/d, 0.37 g/cap). All patients successfully completed the protocol. CD Ac-tivity Index (CDAI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), C-re-active protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and total antioxidant potential (TAP) were evaluated in the plasma at baseline and at the end of the treatment period. Results were expressed as mean values ± SE and P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.RESULTS: Patients exhibited significant reduction of CDAI (222.9 ± 18.7 vs 136.3 ± 12.3, P = 0.05) as com-pared to pretreament values. Plasma IL-6 was signifi-cantly decreased (21.2 ± 9.3 pg/mL vs 7.2 ± 2.8 pg/ mL, P = 0.027), and so did CRP (40.3 ± 13.1 mg/mL vs 19.7 ± 5.5, P = 0.028). TAP was significantly increased (0.15 ± 0.09 vs 0.57 ± 0.15 mmol/L uric acid, P = 0.036). No patient or control exhibited any kind of side effects. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that mastic signifi-cantly decreased the activity index and the plasma levels of IL-6 and CRP in patients with mildly to moderately ac-tive CD. Further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a larger number of patients are required to clarify the role of this natural product in the treatment of patients with CD.
文摘In this study, a natural gum mastic was evaluated as a microencapsulating and matrixforming material for sustained drug release. Mastic was characterized for its physicochemical properties. Microparticles were prepared by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. Matrix tablets were prepared by wet and melt granulation techniques. Diclofenac sodium(DFS) and diltiazem hydrochloride(DLTZ) were used as model drugs. Mastic produced discrete and spherical microspheres with DLTZ and microcapsules with DFS. Particle size and drug loading of microparticles was in the range of 22–62 μm and 50–87%, respectively. Increase in mastic:drug ratio increased microparticle size, improved drug loading and decreased the drug release rate. Microparticles with gum: drug ratio of 2:1 could sustain DLTZ release up to 12 h and released 57% DFS in 12 h. Mastic produced tablets with acceptable pharmacotechnical properties. A 30% w/w of mastic in tablet could sustain DLTZ release for 5 h from wet granulation,and DFS release for 8 h and 11 h from wet and melt granulation, respectively. Results revealed that a natural gum mastic can be used successfully to formulate matrix tablets and microparticles for sustained drug release.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50308009)
文摘In order to investigate the viscoelastic performance of asphalt mastics, a micro-mechanical model for asphalt mastics was built by applying Burgers model to discrete element simulation and constructing Burgers contact model. Then the numerical simulation of creep tests was conducted, and results from the simulation were compared with the analytical solution for Burgers model. The comparision showed that the two results agreed well with each other, suggesting that discrete element model based on Burgers model could be employed in the numerical simulation for asphalt mastics.
基金Funded by The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51108082)
文摘The characters of basalt fiber are analyzed and compared with commonly used fibers. The rheological behaviors of the basalt fiber reinforced asphalt mastic are investigated by the dynamic shear rheological tests and the repeated creep tests. The results show that basalt fiber has excellent reinforced performances, such as high asphalt absorption ratio, low water absorption ratio, high tensile strength, high elastic modulus and high temperature stability. The rutting factor of the fiber reinforced asphalt mastic is higher than the plain asphalt mastic and the reinforced effects are more remarkable under high temperature. The rheological performances of the asphalt mastic demonstrate a good linear relationship between different temperature and loading frequency. The creep stiffness modulus of the asphalt mastic at different loading time can be expressed by power function. Improved Burgers model is used to represent the rheological behaviors of the asphalt mastic with basalt fiber and the model parameters are estimated.
文摘Mastic gum is derived from the tree named Pistacia lentiscus that is grown only in Island Hios of Greek.Since Mastic was first reported to kill Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)in 1998,there has been no further study to elucidate which component of mastic specifically shows the antimicrobial activity against H.pylori.In this study,we examined which component of mastic gum was responsible for anti-H.pylori activity.We prepared the essential oil of mastic gum and identified 20 constituents by GC–MS analysis.Ten standard components were assayed for anti-H.pylori activity,and it clarified that a-terpineol and(E)-methyl isoeugenol showed the anti-H.pylori activity against four different H.pylori strains that were established from patients with gastritis,gastric ulcer and gastric cancer.These components could be useful to overcome the drug-resistance H.pylori growth in stomach.
基金Project(2011CB013800)supported by the National Basic Research Program of ChinaProject(10672063)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(Y201119)supported by the Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Systems Science in Metallurgical Process,China
文摘In order to describe the three-stage creep behavior of compressed asphalt mastic, a visco-elastoplastic damage constitutive model is proposed in this work. The model parameters are treated as quadratic polynomial functions with respect to stress and temperature. A series of uniaxial compressive creep experiments are performed at various stress and temperature conditions in order to determine these parameter functions, and then the proposed model is validated by comparison between the predictions and experiments at the other loading conditions. It is shown that very small permanent deformation at low stress and temperature increases rapidly with elevated stress or temperature and the damage may initiate in the stationary stage but mainly develops in the accelerated stage. Compared with the visco-elastoplastic models without damage, the predictions from the proposed model is in better agreement with the experiments, and can better capture the rate-dependency in creep responses of asphalt mastic especially below its softening point of 47 ℃
基金the Ministry of Higher Education for funding this research
文摘A new automatic rotary compactor and its abilities in compacting stone mastic asphalt （SMA） are presented. Following an overview of the rotary compactor and the compaction procedure, it is demonstrated that the rotary compactor is able to produce uniform slabs with the desired thickness of 65 mm all over around. Furthermore, 132 cored samples from the rotary compactor had been compacted uniformly with approximately 4% optimum air void content. In addition, performance tests results indicate that the rotary compactor produces asphalt mixturures with the requirements of resilient modulus, Marshall stability and flow. A weight factor was introduced for each fraction of aggregates in the degradation analysis to compensate the crushing effect of aggregates during mixing and compacting.
文摘Chios mastic gum(CMG),the resin produced by the trunk of Pistachia lentiscus var Chia,has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes since antiquity.Despite the fact that Pistacia species are widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and in the circum-Mediterranean regions,CMG is a distinctive resin of the mastic trees grown exclusively in the southern part of the island of Chios.CMG has been used for centuries as a spice,a cosmetic,but its most important usage has been as a strong phytotherapeutic therapy,primarily for the management of gastrointestinal diseases.Recently,there are studies demonstrating that CMG has hypolipidemic,cardioprotective and antidiabetic properties.Therefore,the aim of the present review is to summarize the existing literature data regarding the potential beneficial effects of CMG on cardiometabolic risk factors.
文摘The aim of this paper is to describe the possibilities of analyzing human mastication. The development of a standardized food model is presented. Based on the findings of a systematic literature search an elastic food model was created with the aim of standardizing size and elastic properties. Three different eatable jellied products were chosen, created by a changing of the amount of gelatin (260 Blooms) related to the total mass of the standard jellied food. The different hardness were classified in soft, medium and hard, flavored identically, but stained with different colors: soft-green, medium-yellow, hard-red. A cylindrical form was chosen with a height of 1 cm and a diameter of 2 cm. A standard protocol for analyzing chewing patterns in men was created. The condylographic data off several patients are described in details to demonstrate the possible clinical implementation. The newly developed standard food model (SFM) showed the capability to serve in experimental settings to analyze human mastication, although only a few patients have been examined. In addition, strength and size of the newly developed SFM load the masticatory system in an extent;it should be possible to disclose subclinical symptoms of patients within a short time of examination. The diagnostic procedure of temporo-mandibular disorder (TMD) should be endorsed by this new method. The condylographic data created by a standardized protocol should have the ability to enhance the clinical functional analysis of patients previous to restorative dental procedures.
文摘Myositis ossificans (MO) is an extraskeletal tumor-like lesion with bone formation, and is relatively rare in the head and neck region. We report herein a clinicopathological analysis of MO associated with a muscle of mastication. The patient was a 70-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a tumorous mass in the right parotid area and no history of trauma. The surgically excised tumorous lesion consisted of proliferating fibroblastic cells with no atypia in the central portion, and a formation of trabecular osteoid and/or bony tissue in the peripheral portion as the so-called “zonal phenomenon”. The final histological diagnosis was MO, and the lesion was located in the posterior belly of the digastric muscle on computer tomography. A review of the literature showed that many cases of MO predominantly affected the medial pterygoid and masseter muscle and showed a history of previous trauma. The present case represents a rare case of nontraumatic MO in the uncommon location of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.
文摘The essential oil and gum of Pistachia lentiscus var. Chia, commonly known as the mastic gum tree, are natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents that have found extensive uses in food, beverages and medicine in recent years. In this work, the chemical composition of the hydro-distilled essential oil of mastic gum was evaluated by GC-MS （gas chromatography-mass spectrometry） technique and the majority of their components were identified. Twenty nine different compounds were identified and quantified. The gum oil contained monoterpene, hydrocarbons, sesquitepenes, and also oxygen-containing monoterpenes. The main constituents of the gum oil are ct-pinene which follow β-pinene and β-myrcene. Essential oil of mastic gum is valuable product in food industries and in folklore medicine due to its antimicrobial and antimutagenic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the principal congeners of these valuable natural ＂resin tears＂ of the tree which are used in flavoring liquors, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
文摘The aim of this study was to evaluate whether partial removable denture use indeed leads to improved oral health related quality of life and masticatory function. Materials and Methods: Partially edentulous patients presenting for removable denture treatment at the Prosthodontics Service in the Hospital Affiliated to Kinshasa University (Democratic Republic of Congo) were assessed for enrolment in this study. After applying exclusion criteria, 378 patients were included in the study, and randomly assigned into 2 groups. Oral health related quality of life (OHIP-23) and mastication time (MaT), number of chewing cycles (MaC), mastication frequency (MaF), and the sizes of the peanut fragments (FraS) were compared in both groups. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The average MaC, MaT, MaF, and FraS were 119 (± SD 53.70), 86.75 (±SD 35.35), 1.38 (±SD 0.25), and 3.3 (±SD 3.25) for the denture group and 77.9 (±SD 23.9), 60.2 (±SD 17.91), 1.29 (±SD 0.15), and 1.5 (±SD 0.7) for the non-denture group, respectively. Conclusion: The overall oral health related quality of life was best in the non-denture than denture.
文摘Terpenoids are novel natural products isolated from mastic gum.Mastic gum was obtained from the Pistacia Lentiscus tree.Scientific investigations have documented medical and pharmacological properties of mastic gum such as memory enhancement,antifungal,and antibacterial activities.It was astonishing to study the possible interaction of mastic gum extract with microtubule proteins which are involved in memory and consciousness since the administration of mastic gum is evidenced in the improvement of brain functions.Since a number of studies have demonstrated the effect of microtubule dynamics on mammals'memory,in this study,we investigated the effect of Oxygenated Sesquiterpenes(OST)on microtubule polymerization in vitro.OST was purified from the ethanolic extract of mastic gum.The results revealed that OST induces microtubule polymerization;however,microtubule depolymerization was not affected and fluorometric assays showed conformational changes of tubulin in the presence of OST.We interestingly found that colchicine was unable to inhibit MT assembly in the presence of OST and OST was solely more efficient than the combination of OST with paclitaxel for elevating microtubule polymerization rate.We hope that OST could be a promising agent for memory enhancement and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases as a novel tubulin-binding compound.
文摘Stone mastic asphalt(SMA)has not been widely used in the pavement industry,and there are no detailed design specifications for this type of asphalt.Therefore,long-term behavior properties of this pavement type are not accessible widely,and no model has been established for SMA regarding its performance.The main purpose of this study was to incorporate expert experience(using the Markov-chain process)and data from field experiments to propose a model for SMA performance using the Bayesian approach.The implementation of these sources resulted in a well-organized method to develop a performance model for SMA pavements,which did not have a long-term data.Finally,a linear performance model was established to calculate the SMA service life.The service life of SMA can be predicted explicitly according to the developed performance model which has been validated using a new set of data.
文摘The filler-bitumen interaction mechanism is one of the most essential phases for comprehending the asphalt mixture's performance.However,despite numerous studies,in-depth knowledge of filler-bitumen reciprocity at a microscale level is yet to be ascertained.The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the fillerbitumen microscale interaction in terms of the synergy and coaction between the physicochemical and rheological performance of mastics due to filler inclusions.The rheological properties of two sustainable mastics,dolomite powder(DP)and lime kiln dust(LKD),together with a neat PEN 60/70 binder,were analysed based on a temperature sweep at elevated temperature conditions.Meanwhile,frequency sweep and multiple stress creep recovery(MSCR)tests were also conducted at pavement serviceability temperature using the dynamic shear rheometer(DSR).Physicochemical tests using a scanning electron microscope(SEM)and energy dispersive X-rays(EDX)were conducted to analyse the impact of parameters such as particle shape,grain size,texture,and chemical compositions.The DSR test results showcased how the incorporation of fillers in asphalt binder considerably improved the performance of the binder in terms of rutting and fatigue.Likewise,its strain and nonrecoverable compliance parameters were substantially reduced at higher filler and binder concentrations.Physical filler attributes of low rigden voids(R.V),high fineness modulus(FM),and high specific surface area(SSA)led to greater interfacial stiffness and elasticity in LKD mastics compared to DP mastics at different loading frequencies and temperature levels.The SEM/EDX results also indicated that the elemental calcium and carbon composition of each filler component,together with its grain morphology,strongly influenced its rheological performance.
