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Periodontitis is among most common human inflammatory diseases and characterized by destruction of tooth-supporting tissues that will eventually lead to tooth loss. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by chronic hyperglycemia which results from defects in insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Numerous studies have provided evidence for the inter-relationship between DM and periodontitis that has been considered as the sixth most frequent complication of DM. However, the mechanisms are not fully understood yet. The impact of DM on periodontitis through hyperglycemia and inflammatory pathways is well described, but the effects of DM on oral microbiota remain controversial according to previous studies. Recent studies using next-generation sequencing technology indicate that DM can alter the biodiversity and composition of oral microbiome especially subgingival microbiome. This may be another mechanism by which DM risks or aggravates periodontitis. Thus, to understand the role of oral microbiome in periodontitis of diabetics and the mechanism of shifts of oral microbiome under DM would be valuable for making specific therapeutic regimens for treating periodontitis patients with DM or preventing diabetic patients from periodontitis. This article reviews the role of oral microbiome in periodontal health (symbiosis) and disease (dysbiosis), highlights the oral microbial shifts under DM and summarizes the mechanism of the shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers are important economic products. Anser cygnoide (AC) is superior in reproduction, growth and feather quality, while Anser anser (AA) has an advantage in feather yield. Understanding the development of feather follicles facilitates deliberate crossbreeding. Here, we compared feather follicles morphogenesis between AC and AA. Feathers and dorsal skin were sampled at multiple embryonic days to investigate feather phenotypes, feather follicle morphology and the expression of hub molecules (FZD4, β-catenin, LEF1, TCF4 and c-Myc) in the Wnt signalling pathway. We found a marked difference in plumage colour between the two breeds. Feather colour in AA has undergone a 'black dorsum' stage and cavity formation in AC was earlier. Furthermore, different trends in molecular hub expression helped explain the phenotypical and morphological differences: the upregulated Wnt signals in AC at E12 and/or E15, as well as in AA at E18, were associated with early epidermal placode formation and cavity formation in AC, also, related to the development of the secondary feather follicles and 'black dorsum' in AA. Summarily, breed-specific expression patterns of Wnt signalling pathway between AC and AA might participate in the shaping of breed-specific feather follicles morphogenesis and feather phenotypes. This work provides references for feather follicles development in geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plastic materials play an essential role in life, the intensive production of plastic products and mismanagement of plastic waste worldwide have resulted in microplastic pollution. The two major characteristics of environmental microplastics are having small size and resistance to degradation, which make microplastics a persistent organic pollutant. As microplastic pollution has been observed in diverse environmental matrices, it has attracted great attention of scholars globally. Over the last decade, scholars have mainly documented the particle properties of microplastics, such as size, shape or color and their adverse effects on organisms. However, no research has updated on environmental microplastics from the perspective of multi-media. Our review first summarized the literature in the occurrence, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in three kinds of environmental matrices (water, soil, and air) to the public. We then identify the methodological challenges in researches and discuss the advantages and limitations of popular methods to analyze environmental microplastics. Eventually, our paper highlights the current challenges and proposes suggestions for the future research on microplastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]