Patient-reported outcomes measure for patients with cleft palate.

Cleft palate presents multifaceted challenges impacting speech, hearing, appearance, and cognition, significantly affecting patients' quality of life (QoL). While surgical advancements aim to restore function and improve appearance, traditional clinical measures often fail to comprehensively capture patients' experiences. Patient-reported outcomes measure (PROMs) have emerged as crucial tools in evaluating QoL, offering insights into various aspects such as esthetic results, speech function, and social integration. This review explores PROMs relevant to cleft palate complications, including velopharyngeal insufficiency, oronasal fistulas, maxillary hypoplasia, sleep-disordered breathing, and caregiver QoL. Additionally, the review highlights the need for cleft palate-specific scales to better address the unique challenges faced by patients. By incorporating PROMs, healthcare providers can achieve more personalized, patient-centered care, improve communication, and enhance treatment outcomes. Future research should focus on developing and validating specialized PROMs to further refine patient assessments and care strategies.

Association of coagulase-negative staphylococci with orthopedic infections detected by in-house multiplex real-time PCR.

Introduction: Clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) has been gradually acknowledged in both healthcare and clinical research, but approaches for their precise discrimination at the species level remain scarce. The current study aimed to evaluate the association of CoNS with orthopedic infections, where accurate and prompt identification of etiology is crucial for appropriate diagnosis and treatment decision-making. Methods: A 16S rRNA-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed for the detection of Staphylococcus genus and two panels of 3-plex qPCR assays for further differentiation of six CoNS species with remarkable clinical significance, including S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, S. simulans, S. hominis, S. capitis, and S. caprae. All the assays exhibited excellent analytical performance. ΔCq (quantification cycle) between 16S rRNA and CoNS species-specific targets was established to determine the primary CoNS. These methods were applied to detect CoNS in wound samples from orthopedic patients with and without infection. Results and discussion: Overall, CoNS were detected in 17.8% (21/118) of patients with clinically suspected infection and in 9.8% (12/123) of patients without any infection symptom (p < 0.05). Moreover, the association with infection was found to be bacterial quantity dependent. S. epidermidis was identified as the predominant species, followed by S. simulans, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis. Male sex, open injury, trauma, and lower extremity were determined as risk factors for CoNS infections. CoNS-positive patients had significantly longer hospitalization duration (20 days (15, 33) versus 13 days (7, 22) for Staphylococcus-negative patients, p = 0.003), which could be a considerable burden for healthcare and individual patients. Considering the complex characteristics and devastating consequences of orthopedic infections, further expanding the detection scope for CoNS may be pursued to better understand the etiology of orthopedic infections and to improve therapeutic strategies.

Multiplexed bacterial pathogen detection and clinical characteristics of orthopedic infection in hospitalized patients.

Introduction: Accurate identification of the etiology of orthopedic infection is very important for correct and timely clinical management, but it has been poorly studied. In the current study we explored the association of multiple bacterial pathogens with orthopedic infection. Methods: Hospitalized orthopedic patients were enrolled in a rural hospital in Qingdao, China. Wound or exudate swab samples were collected and tested for twelve bacterial pathogens with both culture and multiplex real time PCR. Results and discussion: A total of 349 hospitalized orthopedic patients were enrolled including 193 cases presenting infection manifestations upon admission and 156 with no sign of infection. Orthopedic infection patients were mainly male (72.5%) with more lengthy hospital stay (median 15 days). At least one pathogen was detected in 42.5% (82/193) of patients with infection while 7.1% (11/156) in the patients without infection (P < 0.001). S. aureus was the most prevalent causative pathogen (15.5%). Quantity dependent pathogen association with infection was observed, particularly for P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae, possibly indicating subclinical infection. Most of the patients with detected pathogens had a previous history of orthopedic surgery (odds ratio 2.8, P = 0.038). Pathogen specific clinical manifestations were characterized. Multiplex qPCR, because of its high sensitivity, superior specificity, and powerful quantification could be utilized in combination with culture to guide antimicrobial therapy and track the progression of orthopedic infection during treatment.

Oxidation kinetic mechanism of n-decane under high temperature and pressure: a first-principles molecular dynamics study.

The n-decane/air (C10H22/air) combustion reaction kinetics has attracted much research attention because of its potential application in the aerospace field. In this work, C10H22 oxidation in O2 under high temperature and pressure is simulated based on the first-principles molecular dynamics method for the first time. Our results show that C-C bond breaking and H-abstraction are the two main initial reactions in the oxidation process of C10H22. However, there exists an obvious difference under high and atmospheric pressures. Under high pressure, C-C bond dissociation reactions of hydrocarbon molecules are the main reaction types, while H-abstraction reactions are the main reaction types under atmospheric pressure. The radicals (HO2, OH, O, etc.) play key roles in promoting the oxidation of hydrocarbon molecules. A detailed chemical kinetic model (76 species and 435 elementary reactions), the FP-C10H22 model, of C10H22/air mixture combustion is constructed and verified. The predicted values of FP-C10H22 model on the ignition delay time, laminar flame speed and species concentration of jet stirred reactor (JSR) species concentration are in good agreement with the experimental data.

RNA methylation pattern and immune microenvironment characteristics mediated by m6A regulator in ischemic stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic variables affect the immune response. However, only a few studies have examined the relationship between IS and m6A immunoregulation. Therefore, we aim to explore the methylation of RNA mediated by m6A regulatory factor and the immune microenvironment characteristics of IS. Methods: Differentially expressed m6A regulators were detected in IS microarray datasets GSE22255 and GSE58294. We used a series of machine learning algorithms to identify key IS-related m6A regulators and validated them on blood samples of IS patients, oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) microglia and GSE198710 independent data sets. Different m6A modification modes were determined and the patients were classified. In addition, we systematically associate these modification patterns with the characteristics of immune microenvironment, including infiltrating immune cells, immune function genes and immune response genes. Then we developed a model of m6A score to quantify the m6A modification in IS samples. Results: Through the analysis of the differences between the control group and IS patients, METTL16, LRPPRC, and RBM15 showed strong diagnostic significance in three independent data sets. In addition, qRT-PCR and Western blotting also confirmed that the expression of METTL16 and LRPPRC was downregulated and the expression of RBM15 was upregulated after ischemia. Two m6A modification modes and two m6A gene modification modes were also identified. m6A gene cluster A (high m6A value group) was positively correlated with acquired immunity, while m6A gene cluster B (low m6A value group) was positively correlated with innate immunity. Similarly, five immune-related hub genes were significantly associated with m6Acore (CD28, IFNG, LTF, LCN2, and MMP9). Conclusion: The modification of m6A is closely related to the immune microenvironment. The evaluation of individual m6A modification pattern may be helpful for future immunomodulatory therapy of anti-ischemic response.

Orthodontic retreatment need and related self-perceived factors among contemporary college freshmen in China.

Given that an increasing number of patients who received orthodontic treatment during their childhood or adolescence are seeking retreatment in contemporary China, it is of great necessity to comprehensively understand their motivations. A valid and reliable self-designed questionnaire, based on the Index of complexity, outcome and need (ICON), was distributed online to college freshmen who received orthodontic treatment during their childhood or adolescence. After collecting their basic information and orthodontic retreatment needs data from the survey, the participants' general self-perception of front facial appearance, lateral facial appearance and tooth alignment, as well as their self-perceived dental alignment, occlusal status, oral function and psychological status, were assessed. Correlation analysis, Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression were performed. Reliability was evaluated for 20 paired questionnaires, and all questions were found to be reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient, >0.70). Among the 1609 participants with a history of orthodontic treatment, 45.56% were males and 54.44% were females. Their mean age was 18.48 ± 0.91 years. Our results showed that self-perceived front facial appearance, lateral facial profile, tooth alignment, occlusal status, oral function and psychological status were significantly correlated with orthodontic retreatment needs. Both appearance and psychological status affected their self-perceived dental alignment and occlusal status. In conclusion, patients who received orthodontic treatment during their childhood or adolescence in contemporary China seek orthodontic retreatment because they desire better aesthetics of their front facial appearance and tooth alignment, especially the anterior region of the tooth, the lower part of the face and a decent pronunciation. Additionally, psychological concerns should be viewed as an urge, while intraoral factors should be viewed as the foundation during future clinical practice regarding orthodontic retreatment in this age group.

The lncRNA NEAT1 Mediates Neuronal Cell Autophagy and Related Protein Expression After Cerebral Ischemia‒Reperfusion Injury.

The present study focuses on the role of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT1 in regulating autophagy during the ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury process and its possible regulatory mechanism based on the results of laboratory experiments. Neuro-2a (N2a) cells and BV-2 microglial cells were cultured separately, and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was induced in vitro to mimic cerebral I/R injury. The expression of lncRNA NEAT1 was measured after reoxygenation for different durations, and the results showed that NEAT1 expression was significantly different after OGD/R for 12 h; thus, cell models of NEAT1 overexpression and knockdown were constructed. Knockdown of NEAT1 effectively relieved reperfusion injury. In an N2a and BV-2 cell coculture system, knockdown of NEAT1 reduced autophagic flow in neuronal cells after reperfusion. To clarify the mechanism of NEAT1 after neuronal I/R injury, label-free quantitative proteomics (LFQ) was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in NEAT1 knockdown neurons after OGD/R for 12 h. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network and parallel-reaction monitoring (PRM) quantitative analyses were carried out; the results showed that the expression levels of the autophagy-related proteins Gaa, Glb1, Prkaa1, Kif23, Sec24a and Vps25 were significantly reduced and that these proteins interact. In summary, this study shows that NEAT1 can regulate the interactions between autophagy-related proteins after neuronal I/R injury, reducing the level of autophagy and relieving neuronal reperfusion injury.

MiR-140-3p directly targets Tyro3 to regulate OGD/R-induced neuronal injury through the PI3K/Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly expressed in the central nervous system and play important roles in ischaemic stroke pathogenesis. However, the role of miRNAs in cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of miR-140-3p in regulating oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced neuronal injury in vitro to identify a new biomarker for research on ischaemic stroke. METHODS: The differential expression of miR-140-3p and Tyro3 in OGD/R-exposed N2a cells was verified by qRT-PCR. N2a cells were transfected with miR-140-3p mimic, miR-140-3p inhibitor, Tyro3 or siTyro3, and qRT-PCR, Western blotting, the Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, Hoechst 33342/PI staining and flow cytometry analyses were performed to measure miRNA, mRNA and protein expression; cell viability; and apoptosis. RESULTS: OGD/R-exposed N2a cells exhibited increased miR-140-3p expression, decreased viability, reduced Bcl-2 protein expression and increased Bax and Caspase-3 protein expression and apoptosis; the miR-140-3p mimic markedly amplified these changes, exacerbating OGD/R-induced injury to N2a cells, while the miR-140-3p inhibitor reversed these changes and alleviated OGD/R-induced injury. OGD/R-exposed N2a cells expressed less Tyro3, and Tyro3 overexpression increased cell viability and Bcl-2 protein expression, reduced Bax and Caspase-3 protein expression, and alleviated OGD/R-induced injury. However, silencing Tyro3 reversed these changes and exacerbated OGD/R-induced injury. MiR-140-3p directly bound the Tyro3 mRNA 3'UTR. Rescue experiments indicated that the miR-140-3p mimic-induced changes in cell viability and protein expression were alleviated by Tyro3 overexpression and that the miR-140-3p inhibitor-induced changes in cell viability and protein expression were alleviated by silencing Tyro3. Tyro3 overexpression increased cell viability and PI3K and p-Akt protein expression, but these effects were weakened by the addition of LY294002. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-140-3p directly targets Tyro3 to regulate cell viability and apoptosis of OGD/R-exposed N2a cells through the PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting that miR-140-3p is a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for ischaemic stroke.

Knockdown lncRNA NEAT1 regulates the activation of microglia and reduces AKT signaling and neuronal apoptosis after cerebral ischemic reperfusion.

Acute cerebral ischaemia may lead to serious consequences, including brain injury caused by uncontrolled reperfusion, which occurs when circulation is re-established. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) plays an important role in the immune system. However, the potential roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of NEAT1 in cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function of the lncRNA NEAT1 in cerebral I/R injury and its potential beneficial effects on neurons. In our study, oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was induced in vitro to mimic cerebral I/R injury. Cholecystokinin-octopeptide (CCK-8) was used to measure cell viability, and flow cytometry was used to measure cell apoptosis. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of phenotypic markers of classically activated (M1) and alternatively activated (M2) microglia, and western blotting was performed to detect the levels of proteins related to the AKT/STAT3 pathway. The expression of the lncRNA NEAT1 was significantly upregulated in patients with ischaemic stroke, and knockdown of the lncRNA NEAT1 alleviated OGD/R-induced apoptosis and increased neuronal viability. Furthermore, the lncRNA NEAT1 may inhibit microglial polarization towards the M1 phenotype to reduce the damage caused by OGD/R and reduce the activity of the AKT/STAT3 pathway. In conclusion, the lncRNA NEAT1 may be a potential target for new therapeutic interventions for cerebral I/R.