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Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether flow fluid shear stress (FFSS)-mediated signal transduction affects the function of Piezo1 ion channel in chondrocyte and to further explore the role of mechanical overloading in development of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA)., Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the expression of Piezo1 in TMJ OA tissue collected from rat unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) models. Chondrocytes harvested from normal adult SD rats were treated with FFSS (0, 4, 8, 12 dyn/cm 2 ) in vitro. Immunofluorescent staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, flow cytometry and phalloidin assay were performed to detect the changes of cellular morphology as well as the expression of Piezo1 and certain pro-inflammatory and degradative factors in chondrocyte., Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that significantly increased Piezo1 expression was associated with UAC stimulation (p < .05). As applied FFSS escalated (4, 8 and 12 dyn/cm 2 ), the expression levels of Piezo1, ADAMTS-5, MMP-13 and Col-X gradually increased, compared with the non-FFSS group (p < .05). Administering Piezo1 ion channel inhibitor to chondrocytes beforehand, it was observed that expression of ADAMTS-5, MMP-13 and Col-X was substantially decreased following FFSS treatment (p < .05) and the effect of cytoskeletal thinning was counteracted. The activated Piezo1 ion channel enhanced intracellular Ca 2+ excess in chondrocytes during abnormal mechanical stimulation and the increased intracellular Ca 2+ thinned the cytoskeleton of F-actin., Conclusions: Mechanical overloading activates Piezo1 ion channel to promote pro-inflammation and degradation and to increase Ca 2+ concentration in chondrocyte, which may eventually result in TMJ OA., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Anxiety disorder is a major symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with a comorbidity rate of ~40%. However, the neural mechanisms of the emergence of anxiety in ASD remain unclear. In our study, we found that hyperactivity of basolateral amygdala (BLA) pyramidal neurons (PNs) in Shank3 InsG3680 knock-in (InsG3680 +/+ ) mice is involved in the development of anxiety. Electrophysiological results also showed increased excitatory input and decreased inhibitory input in BLA PNs. Chemogenetic inhibition of the excitability of PNs in the BLA rescued the anxiety phenotype of InsG3680 +/+ mice. Further study found that the diminished control of the BLA by medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and optogenetic activation of the mPFC-BLA pathway also had a rescue effect, which increased the feedforward inhibition of the BLA. Taken together, our results suggest that hyperactivity of the BLA and alteration of the mPFC-BLA circuitry are involved in anxiety in InsG3680 +/+ mice., (© 2024. Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)

Over the last decade, accumulating evidence has suggested that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a significant role in the tumor development. This commentary wishes to highlight the findings by You, et al. that M1-like TAMs could cascade a mesenchymal/stem-like phenotype of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) via the IL6/Stat3/THBS1 feedback loop. These unprecedented findings identified M1-like TAMs-regulated processes as potentially tumor-promotion in the context of OSCC immunomicroenvironment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a ubiquitous organosulfur molecule in marine environments with important roles in stress tolerance, global carbon and sulfur cycling, and chemotaxis. It is the main precursor of the climate active gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is the greatest natural source of bio‑sulfur transferred from ocean to atmosphere. Alteromonas sp. M12, a Gram-negative and aerobic bacterium, was isolated from the seawater samples collected from the Mariana Trench at the depth of 2500 m. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain M12 and its genomic characteristics to import and utilize DMSP. The genome of strain M12 contains one circular chromosome (5,012,782 bp) with the GC content of 40.88%. Alteromonas sp. M12 can grow with DMSP as a sole carbon source, and produced DMS with DMSP as a precursor. Genomic analysis showed that strain M12 contained a set of genes involved in the downstream steps of DMSP cleavage, but no known genes encoding DMSP transporters or DMSP lyases. The results indicated that this strain contained novel DMSP transport and cleavage genes in its genome which warrants further investigation. The import of DMSP into cells may be a strategy of strain M12 to adapt the hydrostatic pressure environment in the Mariana Trench, as DMSP can be used as a hydrostatic pressure protectant. This study sheds light on the catabolism of DMSP by deep-sea bacteria., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Selenium (Se), a highly beneficial animal feed additive, exhibits remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Nano‑selenium (Nano-Se) is an advanced formulation of Se featuring a specialized drug delivery vehicle, with good bioavailability, higher efficacy, and lower toxicity compared to the traditional form of Se. With the advancement of industry, cadmium (Cd) contamination occurs in different countries and regions and thereby contaminating different food crops, and the degree of pollution is degree increasing year by year. The present investigation entailed the oral administration of CdCl 2 and/or Nano-Se to male chickens of the Hy-Line Variety White breed, which are one day old, subsequent to a 7-day adaptive feeding period, for a duration of 90 days. The study aimed to elucidate the potential protective impact of Nano-Se on Cd exposure. The study found that Nano-Se demonstrates potential in mitigating the blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction characterized by impairment of adherens junctions (AJS) and tight junctions (TJS) by inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction. In addition, the data uncovered that Nano-Se demonstrates a proficient ability in alleviating BBB impairment and inflammatory reactions caused by Cd through the modulation of the Wnt7A/β-catenin pathway, highlights its potential to maintain brain homeostasis. Hence, this research anticipates that the utilization of Nano-Se effectively mitigate the detrimental impacts associated with Cd exposure on the BBB., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rare cartilaginous tumor, accounting for < 1% of benign bone tumors. We report a case of temporomandibular joint (TMJ)-CMF, involving the pterygopalatine space and skull base and discuss its epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and management., Case Presentation: A 56-year-old woman presented with facial asymmetry and progressive mouth opening restriction due to a mass expanding upwardly to the auriculotemporal region. Using digital techniques to determine the lesion's boundary and reconstruct the normal glenoid fossa, the temporalis myofascial flap was transplanted between the titanium mesh and condyle to reconstruct the disc after tumor resection., Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of identifying patients with TMJ-CMF.

The impact of microplastics (MPs) as a new type of pollutant on water pollution has become a research hotspot. To explore the response relationship between the abundance of MPs and nitrogen metabolism function in a freshwater environment, Lake Ulansuhai was used as the research object; the abundance of MPs in the water was detected using a Zeiss microscope, and the distribution characteristics of nitrogen metabolism functional bacteria and functional genes in the water were analyzed using metagenomics sequencing. The correlation analysis method was used to explore the relationship between the abundance of MPs and nitrogen metabolism functional microorganisms and nitrogen metabolism functional genes. The results showed that the presence of MPs in freshwater environments had a higher impact on Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes as the dominant phyla, and the presence of MPs promoted their enrichment and growth. Among the dominant bacterial genera, MPs promoted the growth of Mycobacterium and inhibited Candidatus&#95;Planktopila more significantly, further indicating that in freshwater environments, MPs affected normal nitrogen metabolism by affecting microbial communities, and pathways such as carbon and nitrogen fixation and denitrification were important pathways for MPs to affect nitrogen metabolism. From the perspective of nitrogen metabolism functional genes, it was found that the abundance of MPs significantly affected some functional genes during nitrification ( pmoA-amoA , pmoB-amoB , and pmoC-amoC ), denitrification ( nirK and napA ), and dissimilatory nitrate reduction ( nrfA ) processes ( P &lt; 0.05). Moreover, the influence of MPs abundance on different functional genes in the same pathway of nitrogen metabolism varied, making the impact of MPs on aquatic environments very complex; thus, its harm to the water environment cannot be underestimated.

Objective: This narrative review aimed to compile and summarize clinically relevant literature in radiation therapy and to discuss the potential in radioresistant and radiosensitive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)., Methods and Materials: Google Scholar, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were retrieved using combined key words such as "radiotherapy" and "head and neck cancer." Search strings additionally queried were "radioresistant," "radiosensitive," "head and neck region," "squamous cell carcinoma," in combination with Boolean operators 'AND' and 'OR.' Subsequently, the resulting publications were included for review of the full text., Results: Radiotherapeutic responses currently in clinical observation referred to HNSCC scoping were selected into this review. The compiled mechanisms were then detailed concerning on the clinical significance, biological characteristics, and molecular function., Conclusions: Brachytherapy or/and external-beam radiotherapy are crucial for treating HNSCC especially the early stage patients, but in some patients with locally advanced tumors, their outcome with radiation therapy is poor due to obvious radioresistance. The curative effects mainly depend on the response to radiation therapy so an updated review is needed to optimize further applications in HNSCC radiotherapy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The use of miR-21 expression remains vague in diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aimed to systematically evaluate the diagnostic potential of the miR-21 expression in patients with HNSCCs through investigating and summarizing the results reported in the literature., Methods: Extant medical databases were examined for articles of clinical study assessing the miR-21 expression in HNSCC cases, published in the past 20 years. Bioinformatics research was also performed for finding miR-21 targets differentially expressed in HNSCC so as to present their biological behaviors., Results: Our meta-analysis comprised 11 studies including 622/450 cases in HNSCC/control group. Forest plots displayed miR-21 which possessed significantly good specificity (0.76, p < 0.001) and sensitivity (0.80, p < 0.001). Diagnostic odds ratio was 2.46 (95% CI 1.87-3.24). Positive and negative likelihood ratio was 3.40 (95% CI 1.94-5.97) and 0.26 (95% CI 0.18-0.38), respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.85., Conclusion: This study is the highest level of evidence presently available in diagnosing HNSCC. This PRISMA meta-analysis indicated that the pooled results were robust, confirming the oncogenic potential of miR-21 that could be used successfully as a screening biomarker in HNSCC patients. Specifically, the overexpression of miR-21 in these patients presents a worse survival outcome., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known testis toxicant. The blood-testis barrier (BTB) is a crucial component of the testis. Cd can disrupt the integrity of the BTB and reproductive function. However, the mechanism of Cd-induced disruption of BTB and testicular damage has not been fully elucidated. Here, our study investigates the effects of Cd on BTB integrity and testicular dysfunction. 80 (aged 1 day) Hy-Line white variety chickens were randomly designed into 4 groups and treated for 90 days, as follows: control group (essential diet), 35 Cd, 70 Cd and 140 Cd groups (35, 70 and 140 mg/kg Cd). The results found that Cd exposure diminished volume of the testes and induced histopathological lesions in the testes. Exposure to Cd induced an inflammatory response, disrupted the structure and function of the FAK/occludin/ZO-1 protein complex and disrupted the tight junction and adherens junction in the BTB. In addition, Cd exposure reduced the expression of steroid-related proteins and inhibited testosterone synthesis. Taken together, these data elucidate that Cd disrupts the integrity of the BTB and further inhibits spermatogenesis by dissociating the FAK/occludin/ZO-1 complex, which provides a basis for further investigation into the mechanisms of Cd-induced impairment of male reproductive function and pharmacological protection., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a synthetic chemical applied as a plasticizer. As an environmental toxicant, DEHP poses a serious health threat. Many studies have revealed that DEHP can cause lead to various degrees of damage to the kidney. However, the evidence of DEHP-induced renal ferroptosis has not been reported. The purpose of this work was to probe the specific role of lipophagy in DEHP-induced renal injury and to investigate the relationship between lipophagy and ferroptosis. Quail were treated with DEHP (250 mg/kg BW/day, 500 mg/kg BW/day and 750 mg/kg BW/day) for 45 days. Microstructural and ultrastructural observations showed that DEHP caused damage to glomerular and tubular cells, and autophagy with multilayer structures were observed, suggesting that DEHP can induce lipophagy. The results indicated that the iron homeostasis was abnormal and the lipid peroxidation was increased. SLC7A11 and SLC3A2 were down-regulated. PTGS2, ACSL4 and LPCAT3 were elevated. In conclusion, DEHP could induce lipid peroxidation, lead to ferroptosis, and damage renal cells. Therefore, the relationship between lipophagy and ferroptosis was elucidated, which provided a new basis for intervention and prevention of DEHP increased diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cadmium (Cd) as a ubiquitous toxic heavy metal is reported to affect the nervous system. Selenium (Se) has been shown to have antagonistic effects against heavy metal toxicity. In addition, it shows potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the possible mechanism of brain injury after high Cd exposure and the mitigation of Nano-selenium (Nano-Se) against Cd-induced brain injury. In this study, the Cd-treated group showed a decrease in the number of neurons in brain tissue, swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and the formation of autophagosomes. Nano-Se intervention restored Cd-caused alterations in neuronal morphology, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondrial structure, thereby reducing neuronal damage. Furthermore, we found that some differentially expressed genes were involved in cell junction and molecular functions. Subsequently, we selected eleven (11) related differentially expressed genes for verification. The qRT-PCR results revealed the same trend of results as determined by RNA-Seq. Our findings also showed that Nano-Se supplementation alleviated Cx43 phosphorylation induced by Cd exposure. Based on immunofluorescence colocalization it was demonstrated that higher expression of GFAP and lower expressions of Cx43 were restored by Nano-Se supplementation. In conclusion, the data presented in this study establish a direct association between the phosphorylation of Cx43 and the occurrence of autophagy and neuroinflammation. However, it is noteworthy that the introduction of Nano-Se supplementation has been observed to mitigate these alterations. These results elucidate the relieving effect of Nano-Se on Cd exposure-induced brain injury., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: This article aimed to compile and summarize clinically relevant literature in radiation therapy, and to discuss the potential in radioresistant and radiosensitive head and neck cancer., Study Design: Narrative review., Materials and Methods: Google Scholar, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were retrieved using combined key words such as "radiotherapy" and "head and neck cancer". Search strings additionally queried were "radioresistant", "radiosensitive", "head and neck region", "squamous cell carcinoma", in combination with Boolean Operators 'AND' and 'OR'. Subsequently, the resulting publications were included for review of the full text., Results: Radiotherapeutic response currently in clinical observation referred to HNSCC scoping were selected into this review. The compiled mechanisms were then detailed concerning on the clinical significance, biological characteristics, and molecular function., Conclusions: Brachytherapy or/and external-beam radiotherapy are crucial for treating HNSCC, especially the early stage patients, but in patients with locally advanced tumors, their outcome with radiation therapy is poor due to obvious radioresistance. The curative effects mainly depend on the response of radiation therapy, so an updated review is needed to optimize further applications in HNSCC radiotherapy., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no competing interests with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© 2023 Greater Poland Cancer Centre.)

Purpose: A retrospective cohort study was performed to determine the effect of nerve block on the incidence of postoperative mortality in patients with hip replacement., Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, patients who were undergoing hip replacement for the first time under general or intraspinal anesthesia, classified as ASA class I-IV, and aged ≥65 years were selected. We collected the general data, past medical history, preoperative laboratory test results, perioperative fluid intake and outflow data, perioperative anesthesia and related drug data, postoperative laboratory results, and correlation time index. Patients with preoperative combined nerve block were included in the N group, and those without combined nerve block were included in the NN group. The patients were followed up via telephone call to assess survival outcomes at 3 years after surgery. Propensity score matching and uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the influence of nerve block and other related factors on postoperative mortality., Results: A total of 743 patients were included in this study, including 262 in the N group and 481 in the NN group. Two hundred five patients in both groups remained after propensity score matching. Main result: Preoperative nerve block was associated with reduced mortality three years after surgery., Conclusion: Nerve block reduces the incidence of 3-year postoperative mortality, and composite nerve block with general anesthesia and neuraxial anesthesia is worthy of promotion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Li, Li, Zhang and Zhang.)

Objective: The treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is dominated by surgery and radiochemotherapy, but its prognosis is still unsatisfactory, with around five tenths of 5-year survival. This study aimed to assess the prognosis of OSCC patients treated with surgery with and without postoperative radiotherapy. Study Design: Retrospective study. Methods: The clinicopathological information and follow-up datasets on patients with OSCC (T 1-4 and/or N+) registered from 2010 to 2015 were downloaded from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Totally 7231 enrolled subjects were divided into a case group (surgery alone, n = 4167) and a control group (surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy, n = 3064). One-to-one matching was performed by propensity score matching to make the baseline data comparable between the 2 subgroups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) of various clinicopathological features. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to plot the survival curves. Results: The majority of patients in case group were tumor stage I (n = 2569, 61.7%), whereas most patients in control group were stages III to IV (n = 2360, 77.1%). In the case group, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS; 76%, 59.5%, 53.7%) were significantly lower than those of the control group (85.1%, 64.1%, 55.8%; P < .0001). Similarly, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the case group (80.2%, 66.6%, 63.3%) were significantly lower than those of the control group (87.2%, 69.3%, 63.9%, respectively; P < .0001). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that age, differentiation, clinical stage, and tumor-node-metastasis stage affected the prognosis of OSCC patients, while postoperative radiotherapy was a protective factor (OS: HR = 0.649, P < .001; CSS: HR = 0.702, P < .001). Conclusions: Postoperative radiation was an independent protective factor, hence, the combination of surgery plus radiotherapy is more beneficial for the survival of patients with OSCC, particularly for advanced cases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: We aimed to use network meta-analysis to compare the impact of infection risk factors of close contacts with COVID-19, identify the most influential factors and rank their subgroups. It can provide a theoretical basis for the rapid and accurate tracking and management of close contacts., Methods: We searched nine databases from December 1, 2019 to August 2, 2023, which only took Chinese and English studies into consideration. Odd ratios (ORs) were calculated from traditional meta-estimated secondary attack rates (SARs) for different risk factors, and risk ranking of these risk factors was calculated by the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA)., Results: 25 studies with 152647 participants identified. Among all risk factors, the SUCRA of type of contact was 69.6 % and ranked first. Among six types of contact, compared with transportation contact, medical contact, social contact and other, daily contact increased risk of infection by 12.11 (OR: 12.11, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 6.51-22.55), 7.76 (OR: 7.76, 95 % CI: 4.09-14.73), 4.65 (OR: 4.65, 95 % CI: 2.66-8.51) and 8.23 OR: 8.23, 95 % CI: 4.23-16.01) times, respectively. Overall, SUCRA ranks from highest to lowest as daily contact (94.7 %), contact with pollution subjects (78.4 %), social contact (60.8 %), medical contact (31.8 %), other (27.9 %), transportation contact (6.4 %)., Conclusion: The type of contact had the greatest impact on COVID-19 close contacts infection among the risk factors we included. Daily contact carried the greatest risk of infection among six types of contact, followed by contact with pollution subjects, social contact, other, medical contact and transportation contact. The results can provide scientific basis for rapid assess the risk of infection among close contacts based on fewer risk factors and pay attention to high-risk close contacts during management, thereby reducing tracking and management costs., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Mingxia Jing reports financial support was provided by Financial Science and Technology Project of the Corps (provincial level)., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Importance: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is closely relevant to head and neck cancer (HNC) prognosis, but little data exist on the risk prediction of VTE in patients with HNC., Objective: To study the risk factors regarding VTE in HNC patients and construct a nomogram model for its prediction., Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional retrospective study was implemented to comparatively analyze 220 HNC patients from January 2018 to December 2021. The Lasso algorithm was used to optimize the selection of variables. A nomogram model for predicting HNC-associated VTE was established using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Internal validation of the model was performed by bootstrap resampling (1000 times). Calibration plot and decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to evaluate the calibration capability of the prediction model., Main Outcome and Measure: The demographics, medical history, blood biochemical indicators, and modalities of treatment were included for analysis., Results: The incidence of HNC-associated VTE was 2.8% (55/1967) in authors' affiliation. Five variables of risk factors, including surgery, radiochemotherapy, D-dimer, aspartate transaminase, and globulin, were screened and selected as predictors by Lasso algorithm. A prediction model that incorporated these independent predictors was developed and presented as the nomogram. The model showed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.972 (95% CI: 0.934-0.997), and had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.981 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.964-0.998). The calibration curve displayed good agreement of the predicted probability with the actual observed probability for HNC-associated VTE. The DCA plot showed that the application of this nomogram was associated with net benefit gains in clinical practice., Conclusions and Relevance: The high-performance nomogram model developed in this study may help early diagnose the risk of VTE in HNC patients and to guide individualized decision-making on thromboprophylaxis., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal cardiovascular disorder without effective medications due to unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Bestrophin3 (Best3), the predominant isoform of bestrophin family in vessels, has emerged as critical for vascular pathological processes. However, the contribution of Best3 to vascular diseases remains elusive., Methods: Smooth muscle cell-specific and endothelial cell-specific Best3 knockout mice (Best3 SMKO and Best3 ECKO , respectively) were engineered to investigate the role of Best3 in vascular pathophysiology. Functional studies, single-cell RNA sequencing, proteomics analysis, and coimmunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry were performed to evaluate the function of Best3 in vessels., Results: Best3 expression in aortas of human AD samples and mouse AD models was decreased. Best3 SMKO but not Best3 ECKO mice spontaneously developed AD with age, and the incidence reached 48% at 72 weeks of age. Reanalysis of single-cell transcriptome data revealed that reduction of fibromyocytes, a fibroblast-like smooth muscle cell cluster, was a typical feature of human ascending AD and aneurysm. Consistently, Best3 deficiency in smooth muscle cells decreased the number of fibromyocytes. Mechanistically, Best3 interacted with both MEKK2 and MEKK3, and this interaction inhibited phosphorylation of MEKK2 at serine153 and MEKK3 at serine61. Best3 deficiency induced phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of ubiquitination and protein turnover of MEKK2/3, thereby activating the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Furthermore, restoration of Best3 or inhibition of MEKK2/3 prevented AD progression in angiotensin II-infused Best3 SMKO and ApoE -/- mice., Conclusions: These findings unveil a critical role of Best3 in regulating smooth muscle cell phenotypic switch and aortic structural integrity through controlling MEKK2/3 degradation. Best3-MEKK2/3 signaling represents a novel therapeutic target for AD., Competing Interests: Disclosures None.

Ferroelectric materials bring new opportunities for self-powdered photodetectors, taking advantage of their anomalous bulk photovoltaic effect. However, ferroelectric-based photodetectors suffer from relatively poor responsivity and detectivity due to obstacles of low electrical conductivity and low photoelectric conversion ability. The present work proposes a strategy based on heterovalent ion Ce-doping into BaTiO 3 (Ce-BTO) that gives rise to a good room temperature conductivity combined with a significant PTCR (positive temperature coefficient of resistivity) effect. By utilizing a Ce-BTO PTCR semiconductor, a high-performance self-powered photodetector ITO/Ce-BTO/Ag is fabricated, demonstrating a polarity-switchable photoresponse with the change of wavelength due to the competition between hot electrons induced by the Ag plasmonic effect and electron-hole pairs separated by a Schottky barrier. Moreover, benefiting from the reduced bandgap and the introduced impurity states, good responsivity (9.85 × 10 -5 A/W) and detectivity (1.25 × 10 10 Jones) as well as fast response/recovery time (83/47 ms) is achieved under 450 nm illumination. Finally, four representative logic gates ("OR", "AND", "NOR", and "NAND") are demonstrated with one photodetector via the bipolar photoresponse. This work opens an avenue to promote the application of PTCR semiconductors in optoelectronics, offering a conceivable means toward high-performance self-powered photodetectors.

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-biodegradable widespread environmental pollutant, which can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cause cerebral toxicity. However, the effect of Cd on the BBB is still unclear. In this study, a total of 80 (1-day-old) Hy-Line white variety chicks (20 chickens/group) were selected and randomly divided into four (4) groups: the control group (Con group) (fed with a basic diet, n = 20), the Cd 35 group (basic diet with 35 mg/kg CdCl 2 , n = 20), the Cd 70 group (basic diet with 70 mg/kg CdCl 2 , n = 20) and the Cd 140 group (basic diet with 140 mg/kg CdCl 2 , n = 20), and fed for 90 days. The pathological changes, factors associated with the BBB, oxidation level and the levels of Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 7 A (Wnt7A)/Wnt receptor Frizzled 4 (FZD4)/β-catenin signaling axis-related proteins in brain tissue were detected. Cd exposure induced capillary damage and neuronal swelling, degeneration and loss of neurons. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) showed the weakened Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. The protein expression of the Wnt7A, FZD4, and β-catenin was decreased by Cd expusure. Inflammation generation and BBB dysfunction were induced by Cd, as manifested by impaired tight junctions (TJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) formation. These findings underscore that Cd induced BBB dysfunction via disturbing Wnt7A/FZD4/β-catenin signaling axis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Unilateral posterior scissors-bite (uPSB) malocclusion is common clinically. This study aimed to investigate the condylar morphological alterations and condyle-fossa relationship in patients with uPSB, through cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and three-dimensional reconstructive imaging technique., Methods: A retrospective study was designed to comparatively analyze 95 patients with uPSB between July 2016 and December 2021. They were divided into three subgroups: 12 to 20, 21 to 30, and ≥ 31 years, according the age distribution. The morphological parameters regarding condyle, fossa, and joint space after three-dimensional reconstruction were measured and analyzed by a series of digital software. SPSS 26.0 software package was performed for statistical analysis on data sets, using paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Wilcoxon signed-rank sun test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Bonferroni correction., Results: The condylar volume (CV) of scissors-bite side was greater than that of the non-scissors-bite side (CV A  = 1740.68 ± 559.80 mm 3  > CV N  = 1662.25 ± 524.88 mm 3 , P = 0.027). So was the condylar superficial area (CSA) (CSA A  = 818.71 ± 186.82 mm 2  > CSA N  = 792.63 ± 173.44 mm 2 , P = 0.030), and the superior joint space (SJS) [SJS A  = 2.46 (1.61, 3.68) mm) > SJS N  = 2.01 (1.55, 2.87) mm), P = 0.018], and the anterior joint space (AJS) (AJS A  = 3.94 ± 1.46 mm > AJS N  = 3.57 ± 1.30 mm, P = 0.017). The constituent ratios of the different parts of the bilateral condyles were 23% on the posterior slope, 21% on the top, 20% on the anterior slope, 19% on the lateral slope and 17% on the medial slope, respectively., Conclusion: Due to long-term abnormal occlusion of uPSB, the pathological bite force in temporomandibular joint would cause changes in the shape of the condyle. Among them, CV, CSA, SJS and AJS had significant changes in the scissors-bite status, which has the greatest damage to the posterior slope of the condyloid process., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This pilot morphological study aimed to investigate the association between anterior disc displacement (ADD) and the status of the mandibular condyle and articular fossa., Materials and Methods: Thirty-four patients were divided into a normal articular disc position group and an ADD with and without reduction group. Images reconstructed were used to determine multiple group comparisons of these three different types of disc position, and the diagnostic efficacy for the morphological parameters with significant group difference was analyzed to assess., Results: The condylar volume (CV), condylar superficial area (CSA), superior joint space (SJS), and medial joint space (MJS) all exhibited obvious changes (P < 0.05). Additionally, they all had a reliable diagnostic accuracy in differentiating between normal disc position and ADD with an AUC value from 0.723 to 0.858. Among them, the CV, SJS, and MJS (P < 0.05) had a significantly positive impact on the groups by analysis of multivariate logistic ordinal regression model., Conclusions: The CV, CSA, SJS, and MJS are significantly associated with different disc displacement types. The condyle in ADD exhibited altered dimensions. These could be promising biometric markers for assessing ADD., Clinical Relevance: The morphological changes of mandibular condyle and glenoid fossa were significantly influenced by the status of disc displacement, and condyles with disc displacement had three-dimensionally altered condylar dimensions, irrespective of age and sex., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In recent years, as the number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment has increased, so too has the number of periodontal tissue problems, particularly regarding the impact on periodontal tissue of receiving orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment improves the occlusion and appearance of teeth by moving the teeth appropriately. These movements have a significant impact on the interactions between the teeth and periodontal tissues. Orthodontic treatment can also recover tooth alignment for patients with tooth displacement caused by periodontitis; however, orthodontic treatment also often has adverse effects on periodontal soft tissue, such as gingivitis, gingival enlargement and gingival recession. The purpose of this review is to summarise the current evidence and solid knowledge of periodontal soft tissue problems in orthodontic treatment and outline some prevention strategies.

Background: HMGB1 usually serves as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule (also known as alarmin) that regulates the inflammatory and immune responses via different receptors or direct uptake. Numerous studies have reported the association between HMGB1 and inflammatory diseases; however, its role in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) has not been elucidated. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate HMGB1 levels in the synovial fluid (SF) in patients with TMJOA and TMID, their correlation with TMJOA and TMID severity, and the therapeutic effect of sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid, HA) on TMJOA., Methods: SF samples were analyzed for 30 patients with TMJ internal derangement (TMJID) and TMJOA, along with visual analog scale (VAS) scores, radiographic stages, and mandibular functional limitations. The SF levels of HMGB1, IL-1β, IL-18, PGE2, RAGE, TLR4, and iNOS were determined via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To evaluate the therapeutic effects of HA, pre-treatment and post-treatment clinical symptoms were also compared in patients of the TMJOA group who had received an intra-articular injection of HA., Results: VAS and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS) scores were significantly higher in the TMJOA group than in the TMNID group, as were SF levels of HMGB1, TLR4, IL-1β, IL-18, PGE2, and iNOS. The synovial HMGB1 level was positively correlated with the VAS score (r = 0.5512, p = 0.0016) and mandibular functional limitations (r = 0.4684, p = 0.0054). The cut-off value for the HMGB1 level as a diagnostic biomarker was 986.8 pg/ml. The SF level of HMGB1 yielded an area under the curve value (AUC) of 0.8344 for predicting TMJOA. HA alleviated TMJ disorders by significantly reducing the VAS score and improving the maximum extent of mouth opening in both the TMJID and TMJOA groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, patients in both the TMJID and TMJOA groups exhibited significant improvement in the JFLS score following HA treatment., Conclusions: Our results indicate that HMGB1 is a potential marker for predicting the severity of TMJOA. Intra-articular HA injection exerts a positive therapeutic effect on TMJOA; however, further investigations are warranted to validate its therapeutic effect in the late phase of visco-supplementation treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Mucormycosis is a type of fatal infectious disease, rarely involved in the oromaxillofacial region. This study aimed to describe a series of 7 cases with oromaxillofacial mucormycosis and to discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment algorithm thereof., Methodology: Seven patients in the author's affiliation have been treated. They were assessed and presented as per their diagnostic criteria, surgical approach, and mortality rates. Reported cases of mucormycosis originally happened in craniomaxillofacial region were synthesized through a systematic review so as to better discuss its pathogenesis, epidemiology, and management., Results: Six patients had a primary metabolic disorder, and one immunocompromised patient had a history of aplastic anemia. The criteria for a positive diagnosis of invasive mucormycosis were based on clinical presentation of signs and symptoms, and a biopsy for microbiological culture and histopathologic analysis. Each patient used antifungal drugs and five of them also underwent surgical resection at the same time. Four patients died due to the unregulated spread of mucormycosis, and one patient died owing to her main disease., Conclusions: Although uncommon in clinical practice setting, mucormycosis should be of great concern in oral and maxillofacial surgery, due to the life-threatening possibility of this disease. The knowledge of early diagnosis and prompt treatment is of utmost importance for saving lives., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Morphologic study is a common approach in the field of anterior disc displacement (ADD) pathology; however, analysis based on 3D reconstructive imaging has not been investigated. This study investigated the association between ADD and the status of the mandibular condyle and articular fossa., Method and Materials: Thirty-four patients were divided into a normal articular disc position (NADP) group, an ADD with reduction (ADDwR) group, and an ADD without reduction (ADDwoR) group. Images reconstructed were used to determine multiple grouped comparisons of these three different types of disc position, and the diagnostic efficacy for the morphologic parameters with significant grouped difference was analyzed to assess., Results: The condylar volume and condylar superficial area of the NADP, ADDwR, and ADDwoR groups exhibited obvious changes (P < .05). A multivariate logistic ordinal regression model showed that the condylar volume (odds ratio [OR], 1.011; regression coefficient [RC] = .011, P = .018), superior joint space (OR, 8.817; RC = 2.177; P < .001), and medial joint space (OR, 1.492; RC = 0.400; P = .047) had a significantly positive impact on the groups., Conclusion: The mandibular condyle and articular fossa in temporomandibular joint ADD exhibited altered dimensions. The condylar volume, condylar superficial area, superior joint space, and medial joint space could be considered as promising biometric markers for assessing ADD, and were investigated in this current pilot study. (Quintessence Int 2023;54:156-166; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b3512027).

Objective: The transplantation of temporalis myofascial flap (TMF) is an indispensable method to treat severe temporomandibular joint disorders with disk failure. How to select the indication and the ways of transplantation is still a challenging topic for achieving the ideal effect. We reported the new methods and follow-up results of the patients treated with pedicled TMF transplantation., Methods: Retrospective case series was performed at Temporomandibular Joint Specialist Clinic, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, from December 2014 to August 2022. 39 patients (50 sides) included anterior disk displacement without reduction and disk perforation who underwent discectomy and immediate reconstruction with pedicled TMF. The initial and postoperative maximum mouth opening (MMO), and pain visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared via paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test, respectively., Results: The average of follow-up time was 30.07 months. The reconstructed temporomandibular joints basically achieved stable occlusion, good function, and satisfactory effect. The patients displayed a remarkable reduction of VAS score of pain, and improvement of the MMO compared with that before operation (P <  0.001). MR scanning revealed the grafts in joint space showed band-shaped soft tissue density of medium signal and had the clear edges, without interruption and fragment., Conclusion: Reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint disk by transplantation of the TMF applying modified minimally invasive surgery was a feasible method, which could improve the function of joints and prevent adhesion, without obvious complications in donor region., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Morphological study is a common approach in the field of anterior disc displacement (ADD) pathology; however, analysis based on three-dimensional reconstructive imaging has not been investigated. This study investigated the association between ADD and the status of the mandibular condyle and articular fossa., Methods: Thirty-four patients were divided into three groups: normal articular disc position (NADP), anterior disc displacement with reduction (ADDwR), and anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDwoR). Multiple grouped comparisons of three different disc statuses were performed by Kruskal-Wallis H test and variance analysis respectively. Receiver-operating characteristic curve was plotted to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the morphological parameters. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the interfering factors of ADD., Results: The condylar volume (CV) and condylar superficial area (CSA) in the NADP, ADDwR, and ADDwoR groups exhibited obvious changes (P < 0.05). Both CV and superior joint space (SJS) presented a good diagnostic accuracy for NADP-ADDwoR [area under the curve (AUC) CV  = 0.813; AUC SJS  = 0.855)], and ADDwR-ADDwoR (AUC CV  = 0.858; AUC SJS  = 0.801). CSA presented a good diagnostic accuracy for ADDwR-ADDwoR (AUC = 0.813). A multivariate logistic ordinal regression model showed that the CV [odds ratio (OR) = 1.011; regression coefficient (RC) = 0.011, P = 0.018], SJS (OR, 8.817; RC = 2.177; P < 0.001), and medial joint space (MJS) (OR, 1.492; RC = 0.400; P = 0.047) had a significantly impact on the groups., Conclusion: CV, CSA, SJS, and MJS were significantly associated with the different disc status, and the condyle in ADD exhibited 3-dimensionally altered dimensions. They could be considered as promising biometric markers to assess the ADD., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Atherosclsis is a critical actuator causing cardiac-cerebral vascular disease with a complicated pathogeneon, refered to the disorders of intestinal flora and persistent inflammation. Gastrodin (4-(hydroxymethyl) phenyl-β-D- Glucopyranoside) is the most abundant glucoside extracted from the Gastrodiaelata, which is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for cardiac-cerebral vascular disease, yet its mechanisms remain little known. In the present study, the gastrodia extract and gastrodin attenuate the lipid deposition and foam cells on the inner membrane of the inner membrane of the thoracic aorta in the early atherosclerosis mice. Blood lipid detection tips that TC and LDL-C were reduced in peripheral blood after treatment with the gastrodia extract and gastrodin. Furthermore, unordered gut microbes are remodeled in terms of bacterial diversity and abundance at family and genus level. Also, the intestinal mucosa damage and permeability were reversed, accompaniedwith the reducing of inflammatory cytokines. Our findings revealed that the functions of gastrodia extract and gastrodin in cardiac-cerebral vascular disease involved to rescued gut microbes and anti-inflammation may be the mechanismof remission lipid accumulation., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral cancer is a malignant disease that threatenshuman life and greatly reducespatientquality of life. ANLN was reported to promote the progression of cancer. This study aims to investigate the role of ANLNin oral cancer and the underlying molecular mechanism., Methods: ANLN expression was downregulated by RNAi technology. The effect of ANLN on cell behaviors, including proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion, and apoptosis, was detected. Western blotting analysis was used to explore the mechanism by whichANLN functions in oral cancer., Results: Data from TCGA database showed that ANLN was expressed at significantly higher levels in tumor tissues thanin normal control tissues. Patients with higher ANLN expression exhibitedshorter survivaltimes. ANLN was alsoabundantly expressedin the cancer cell lines CAL27 and HN30. When ANLN was knocked down in CAL27 and HN30 cells, cell proliferation and colony formation weredecreased. The cell invasion ability was also inhibited. However, the cell apoptosis rate was increased. In addition, the levels of critical members of the PI3K signaling pathway, includingPI3K, mTOR, Akt, and PDK-1, were significantlyreducedafter ANLN was knocked down in CAL27 cells., Conclusions: ANLN contributes to oral cancerprogressionand affects activation ofthe PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway. This study providesa new potential targetfor drug development and treatment in oral cancer.

Nucleic acid aptamers, broad-spectrum target-specific single-stranded oligonucleotides, serve as molecules in targeted therapy, targeted delivery and disease diagnosis for the treatment of tumor or microbial infection and clinical detection. Due to the existence of components in the use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the target is difficult to concentrate and the specificity of treatment is poor. The effective components of TCM are toxic components, so a highly sensitive detection method is urgently needed to reduce the toxicity problem at the same time. The combined application of TCM and modern medical treatment strategy are difficult and cannot improve the therapeutic effect. Aptamers, advantageous in biosensors, aptamer-nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery, and aptamer-siRNA chimeras, are expected to connect Chinese medicinals with nanotechnology, diagnostic technology and combined therapies. We summarized the preparation, screening, and modification techniques of nucleic acid aptamers and the biomedical applications and advantages in therapy, targeting, and diagnosis, aiming at providing a reference for the in-depth research and development in TCM.

Purpose: To evaluate the existence of tertiary lymphoid structures(TLS) in oral lichenoid lesions and its compositional characteristics of immune cells., Methods: Tissue samples of normal oral mucosa, oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid tissue reaction(OLTR) were collected, thirty cases in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin(H-E) staining was performed to identify the TLS-like structures, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was applied to assess the structure and amount of infiltrating CD3+ T cells, CD19+, CD20+ B cells, CD21+ follicular dendritic cells (FDC), Bcl-6+ germinal centers, CD34+ PNAd+ venules and CD34+ Gp36+ micro lymphatic vessels in TLS of OLL. Histopathology and molecular markers were used to evaluate the morphological performance of TLS in OLL. Chi-square test (Fisher exact probability method) was applied to compare the proportion of TLS in each group; integral optical density (IOD) method was used to calculate the expression level of each molecular marker, nonparametric t test (Mann-Whitney U test) was employed to analyze their difference. Statistical analysis was performed with GraphPad Prism 7.0 software., Results: In OLP group and OLTR group, 46.7% (14/30) and 23.4% (7/30) cases had TLS-like structures, respectively. The frequency of TLS-like structures was not correlated with the type of disease(P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the molecular markers in OLP group and OLTR group were highly expressed, and the expression of CD19, CD20, and CD21 in OLP group had morphological and structural characteristics of TLS. The expression of Bcl-6(mean and standard deviation of IOD were 15 498±15 108 vs. 1 841±2 276, P<0.0001), CD20 (13 067±9 049 vs. 7 695±5 159, P<0.05), CD21 (13 968±14 560 vs. 2 552±2 584, P<0.0001), PNAd (10 328±10 383 vs. 1 756±1 570, P<0.0001) and Gp36 (12 778±12 390 vs. 2 313±2 578, P<0.0001) showed significant differences between OLP and OLTR tissues, but it could not be used as the criteria for identifying the type of diseases without morphological characters., Conclusions: TLS exists in OLL lesions, mainly presented as non-classical forms. The classical forms can be occasionally found. CD20 and CD21 can be used as the biomarkers to identify the TLS in OLL. TLS can not be used as the diagnosing criteria for identifying OLP or OLTR.

Objective: Interventions for hyperinsulinemia (HINS), an early indicator of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), can significantly reduce the T2DM risk. This study aims to determine how dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition prevents HINS progression to T2DM through ameliorating hepatic steatosis., Methods: KKay mice were used as a HINS model and they underwent exercise or received a DPP-4 inhibitor, MK0626. Hepatic steatosis was examined and liver diacylglycerol levels were determined. Human hepatic cells (LO2) were treated with MK0626 or transfected with DPP-4 siRNA. Protein kinase C ε isoform (PKCε) and DPP-4 expression and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) phosphorylation were assessed using immunohistochemistry and western blot., Results: KKay mice developed HINS spontaneously at 7 weeks of age. Similar to exercise, MK0626 ameliorated hepatic steatosis and reduced the liver triglyceride and diacylglycerol content. Both exercise and MK0626 suppressed diacylglycerol-induced PKCε expression and restored insulin signaling, which was shown by tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, in the livers of KKay mice. Additionally, silencing DPP-4 or MK0626 treatment decreased PKCε expression in LO2 cells., Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that DPP-4 inhibition resembles exercise and effectively delays T2DM onset by suppressing hepatic PKCε expression in the HINS mouse model.

Introduction: The AP4B1 gene encodes a subunit of adaptor protein complex-4 (AP4), a component of intracellular transportation of proteins which plays important roles in neurons. Bi-allelic mutations in AP4B1 cause autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia-47(SPG47)., Case Presentation: Here we present a Chinese patient with spastic tetraplegia, moderate psychomotor development delay and febrile seizures plus. Brain MRIs showed dilated supratentorial ventricle, thin posterior and splenium part of corpus callosum. The patient had little progress through medical treatments and rehabilitating regimens. Whole exome sequencing identified novel compound heterozygous truncating variants c.1207C > T (p.Gln403*) and c.52&#95;53delAC (p.Cys18Glnfs*7) in AP4B1 gene. Causal mutations in AP4B1 have been reported in 29 individuals from 22 families so far, most of which are homozygous mutations., Conclusions: Our study enriched the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of SPG47. Early discovery, diagnosis and proper treatment on the conditions generally increase chances of improvement on the quality of life for patients.

We studied the epidemiological and clinical data collected from a family with 5 people, in which there were 3 family member diagnosed as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We found that the first patient in this family had Wuhan city travel history. Close contact in daily life was the route of infection. The most common symptoms were fever, cough and weakness. Characteristic imaging changes were found with grass opacity (GGO), consolidation and septal thickening mainly distributed in peripheral and posterior area by thoracic CT scan in the 3 patients. The abnormality in laborotary test included lower white blood cell count, neutrophil count and lymphocyte count，increasing fibrinogen and C-reactive protein，decreasing myohaemoglobin and increasing lactate dehydrogenase. The epidemiological and clinical features could provide quicker diagnosis and better management for the COVID-19 infected patients., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Artemisinin is a kind of sesquiterpene lactone containing endoperoxide bridge,which is the most effective anti-malarial drug at present. However,low content of artemisinin in Artemisia annua,ranging from 0. 1%-1. 0% of dry weight,as well as the complicated extraction process have resulted in low yield and high cost of artemisinin,making it difficult to meet market demand.Based on the development of high-throughput sequencing and molecular biology,the related enzyme genes and transcription factors involved in the artemisinin metabolic pathway were cloned and identified. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology methods to modify the original metabolic pathway of A. annua and genetic engineering in heterologous host cells have become one of the hotspots in this field. Therefore,the molecular mechanism of artemisin biosynthesis,different strategies of genetic modifications of A. annua,and the research status and application prospect of artemisinin synthesis in heterologous host cells( Nicotiana benthamiana,Physcomitrella patens) were summarized in our review,hoping to provide molecular basis and theoretical basis for breeding new varieties of A. annua with high artemisinin output.

Groundwater is of great importance to the loess area, and its hydrochemical characteristics and control factors are of great significance for the utilization and management of groundwater resources. In this study, groundwater hydrochemical characteristics and their controlling factors were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, Piper diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, forward derivation modeling, and correlation analysis. The results show that:① Groundwater is weakly alkaline, has low salinity, and has the water chemical type Ca-Mg-HCO 3 ; the dominant anions and cations were HCO 3 - and Ca 2+ , which accounted for 58% to 59% of the anions and 40% to 80% of the cations, respectively; ② The ion content of the groundwater, particularly the dominant anions and cations, varied, which may have been affected by factors such as precipitation leaching of soil, cation exchange, and the horizontal flow of groundwater; ③ The main factors affecting the ion content of the groundwater are the weathering of carbonate and silicate rock, while the contribution of evaporite dissolution, human activity, and atmospheric input is very small. Carbonate weathering is a dominant source of ions in the groundwater, having an average contribution of 47%-85%, while the contribution of silicate rock weathering is between 6% and 38%. The dissolution of evaporite as a solute source was not important, contributing an average of 3%. Based on these results, it appears that the deep loess provides favorable conditions for the storage of high-quality groundwater, and the existing water quality is dominated by natural factors.

Five pairs of enantiomeric lignanamides including nine undescribed compounds along with a known one were obtained from Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae). Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated based on comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and quantum chemical calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) curves. Additionally, all isolates were evaluated for their neuroprotective activity against MPP + (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium)-induced SH-SY5Y cells injury. Among them, cannabisin F showed the most significant neuroprotective effects at different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 μM). Further studies by Hoechst 33258 staining, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining and Annexin V/PI analysis demonstrated that cannabisin F could induce protective autophagy to protect SH-SY5Y cells from MPP + -induced apoptosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

E-Zhu ( Curcuma zedoaria ) is known as a classical traditional Chinese medicine and widely used in the treatment of cancers, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and other diseases. Its main components include curcumol and curcumin, which have anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effects. Here we established an in vitro inflammatory injury model by stimulating RAW246.7 cells with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and detected the intervention effects of curcumin and curcumol on CSE-treated Raw246.7 macrophage cells to explore whether the two compounds inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the NF- κ B signaling pathway. We detected the antifibrosis effects of curcumin and curcumol via TGF- β 1 /Smads signaling pathways. The model of macrophage damage group was established by CSE stimulation. Curcumol and curcumin were administered to Raw246.7 macrophage cells. The efficacy of curcumol and curcumin was evaluated by comparing the activation of proinflammatory factors, profibrotic factors, and NF- κ B and TGF- β 1 /Smads signaling pathway. In addition, CSE-treated group was employed to detect whether the efficacy of curcumol and curcumin was dependent on the NF- κ B signaling via the pretreatment with the inhibitor of NF- κ B. Our findings demonstrated that curcumol and curcumin could reduce the release of intracellular ROS from macrophages, inhibit the NF- κ B signaling pathway, and downregulate the release of proinflammatory factor. Curcumol and curcumin inhibited the TGF- β 1 /Smads signaling pathway and downregulated the release of fibrotic factors. Curcumin showed no anti-inflammatory effect in CSE-treated cells after the inhibition of NF- κ B. Curcumol and curcumin showed an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the NF- κ B signaling pathway.

Several studies have shown a broad variation in the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral leukoplakia (OLK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), whereas the relationship is less well-defined and specific HPV genotypes lack examination in OLK. In the present study, the role of HPV and surrogate p16 expression was investigated to explore the correlation and pathogenesis in OLK and OSCC. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow-through hybridization technology were utilized to detect HPV genotypes in oral exfoliated cells from 30 healthy volunteers, 103 OLK and 30 OSCC patients. Expression of p16 was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in biopsies from these OLK and OSCC, in addition to 15 normal oral mucosal tissues as the control group. The healthy controls showed 3.3% (1/30) HPV presence; In OLK and OSCC, the detection rate was 4.9% (5/103), 3.3% (1/30), respectively. No significant relationship between HPV and OLK or OSCC was observed when compared with the control group (P>0.05). All 6 HPV-positive OLK and OSCC cases had p16 overexpression. But the sensitivity of p16 IHC was poor, because 88.4% (38/43) of p16 over-expressed OLK were HPV negative. There was no statistical significance between HPV and the sex, age, site, alcohol consumption, or smoking. These findings suggested HPV had a low prevalence in OLK and OSCC. This suggests the detection of HPV genotypes by PCR in exfoliated cells combined with p16 IHC may be more accurate to represent HPV infection., Competing Interests: None., (IJCEP Copyright © 2019.)

Purpose: This study was aimed to retrospectively investigate the related factors of oral and maxillofacial space infection in 126 patients., Methods: The clinical data of 126 patients with oral and maxillofacial space infection were collected from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University during the period of 2015 to 2017. The clinical features (e.g. body mass index, the number of days from onset to hospital admission, and the number of inflammatory spaces, and etc.) as well as laboratory examination variables (e.g. leucocytic count, the number of neutrophilic granulocyte, interleukin-6, C reactive protein, calcitonin, blood glucose, blood lipids, albumin, and etc.). Pearson correlation method were used to analyze the correlated factors and multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors with SPSS20.0 software package., Results: Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation in the hospitalization days with the ages, white blood cells, neutrophilic granulocyte, neutrophil ratio, C reactive protein, body mass index, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, the number of inflammatory spaces. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that there were 4 independent variables (P<0.05), which were the number of inflammatory spaces, the number of days from onset to hospital admission, triglyceride and neutrophilic granulocyte., Conclusions: There was a positive correlation between the hospitalization days with the number of inflammatory spaces, triglyceride, inflammatory cells and cytokines in patients with oral and maxillofacial space infection. In addition, the related factors affecting the treatment results of oral and maxillofacial space infection include the number of inflammatory spaces, the number of days from onset to hospital admission, triglycerides and neutrophils.