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Background: Three-dimensional cephalometric analysis is crucial in craniomaxillofacial assessment, with landmarks detection in craniomaxillofacial (CMF) CT scans being a key component. However, creating robust deep learning models for this task typically requires extensive CMF CT datasets annotated by experienced medical professionals, a process that is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Conversely, acquiring large volume of unlabeled CMF CT data is relatively straightforward. Thus, semi-supervised learning (SSL), leveraging limited labeled data supplemented by sufficient unlabeled dataset, could be a viable solution to this challenge. Method: We developed an SSL model, named CephaloMatch, based on a strong-weak perturbation consistency framework. The proposed SSL model incorporates a head position rectification technique through coarse detection to enhance consistency between labeled and unlabeled datasets and a multilayers perturbation method which is employed to expand the perturbation space. The proposed SSL model was assessed using 362 CMF CT scans, divided into a training set (60 scans), a validation set (14 scans), and an unlabeled set (288 scans). Result: The proposed SSL model attained a detection error of 1.60 ± 0.87 mm, significantly surpassing the performance of conventional fully supervised learning model (1.94 ± 1.12 mm). Notably, the proposed SSL model achieved equivalent detection accuracy (1.91 ± 1.00 mm) with only half the labeled dataset, compared to the fully supervised learning model. Conclusions: The proposed SSL model demonstrated exceptional performance in landmarks detection using a limited labeled CMF CT dataset, significantly reducing the workload of medical professionals and enhances the accuracy of 3D cephalometric analysis.
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Implantable neural devices that record neurons in various states, including static states, light activities such as walking, and vigorous activities such as running, offer opportunities for understanding brain functions and dysfunctions. However, recording neurons under vigorous activities remains a long-standing challenge because it leads to intense brain deformation. Thus, three key requirements are needed simultaneously for neural devices, that is, low modulus, low specific interfacial impedance, and high electrical conductivity, to realize stable device/brain interfaces and high-quality transmission of neural signals. However, they always contradict each other in current material strategies. Here, a soft fiber neural device capable of stably tracking individual neurons in the deep brain of medium-sized animals under vigorous activity is reported. Inspired by the axon architecture, this fiber neural device is constructed with a conductive gel fiber possessing a network-in-liquid structure using conjugated polymers and liquid matrices and then insulated with soft fluorine rubber. This strategy reconciles the contradictions and simultaneously confers the fiber neural device with low modulus (300 kPa), low specific impedance (579 kΩ µm2), and high electrical conductivity (32 700 S m-1) - ≈1-3 times higher than hydrogels. Stable single-unit spike tracking in running cats, which promises new opportunities for neuroscience is demonstrated.
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The speckle noise generated during digital holographic interferometry (DHI) is unavoidable and difficult to eliminate, thus reducing its accuracy. We propose a self-supervised deep-learning speckle denoising method using a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network to mitigate the effect of speckle noise. The proposed method integrates a 4-f optical speckle noise simulation module with a parameter generator. In addition, it uses an unpaired dataset for training to overcome the difficulty in obtaining noise-free images and paired data from experiments. The proposed method was tested on both simulated and experimental data, with results showing a 6.9% performance improvement compared with a conventional method and a 2.6% performance improvement compared with unsupervised deep learning in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, the proposed method exhibits superior denoising performance and potential for DHI, being particularly suitable for processing large datasets.
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PURPOSE: Surgical robots effectively improve the accuracy and safety of surgical procedures. Current optical-navigated oral surgical robots are typically developed based on binocular vision positioning systems, which are susceptible to factors including obscured visibility, limited workplace, and ambient light interference. Hence, the purpose of this study was to develop a lightweight robotic platform based on monocular vision for oral surgery that enhances the precision and efficiency of surgical procedures. METHODS: A monocular optical positioning system (MOPS) was applied to oral surgical robots, and a semi-autonomous robotic platform was developed utilizing monocular vision. A series of vitro experiments were designed to simulate dental implant procedures to evaluate the performance of optical positioning systems and assess the robotic system accuracy. The singular configuration detection and avoidance test, the collision detection and processing test, and the drilling test under slight movement were conducted to validate the safety of the robotic system. RESULTS: The position error and rotation error of MOPS were 0.0906 ± 0.0762 mm and 0.0158 ± 0.0069 degrees, respectively. The attitude angle of robotic arms calculated by the forward and inverse solutions was accurate. Additionally, the robot's surgical calibration point exhibited an average error of 0.42 mm, with a maximum error of 0.57 mm. Meanwhile, the robot system was capable of effectively avoiding singularities and demonstrating robust safety measures in the presence of minor patient movements and collisions during vitro experiment procedures. CONCLUSION: The results of this in vitro study demonstrate that the accuracy of MOPS meets clinical requirements, making it a promising alternative in the field of oral surgical robots. Further studies will be planned to make the monocular vision oral robot suitable for clinical application.
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Desenho de Equipamento , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Robóticos , Humanos , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Robóticos/instrumentação , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Robóticos/métodos , Visão Monocular/fisiologia , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Bucais/instrumentação , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Bucais/métodos , Técnicas In Vitro , Cirurgia Assistida por Computador/métodos , Cirurgia Assistida por Computador/instrumentaçãoRESUMO
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the prevailing form of primary liver cancer, characterized by a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. A pivotal factor in HCC tumorigenesis is epigenetics, specifically the regulation of gene expression through methylation. This process relies significantly on the action of proteins that modify methylation, including methyltransferases, their associated binding proteins, and demethylases. These proteins are crucial regulators, orchestrating the methylation process by regulating enzymes and their corresponding binding proteins. This orchestration facilitates the reading, binding, detection, and catalysis of gene methylation sites. Methylation ences the development, prolisignificantly influferation, invasion, and prognosis of HCC. Furthermore, methylation modification and its regulatory mechanisms activate distinct biological characteristics in HCC cancer stem cells, such as inducing cancer-like differentiation of stem cells. They also influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HCC, modulate immune responses, affect chemotherapy resistance in HCC patients, and contribute to HCC progression through signaling pathway feedback. Given the essential role of methylation in genetic information, it holds promise as a potential tool for the early detection of HCC and as a target to improve drug resistance and promote apoptosis in HCC cells.
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Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience pervasive difficulties in processing social information from faces. However, the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying social trait judgments of faces in ASD remain largely unclear. Here, we comprehensively addressed this question by employing functional neuroimaging and parametrically generated faces that vary in facial trustworthiness and dominance. Behaviorally, participants with ASD exhibited reduced specificity but increased inter-rater variability in social trait judgments. Neurally, participants with ASD showed hypo-activation across broad face-processing areas. Multivariate analysis based on trial-by-trial face responses could discriminate participant groups in the majority of the face-processing areas. Encoding social traits in ASD engaged vastly different face-processing areas compared to controls, and encoding different social traits engaged different brain areas. Interestingly, the idiosyncratic brain areas encoding social traits in ASD were still flexible and context-dependent, similar to neurotypicals. Additionally, participants with ASD also showed an altered encoding of facial saliency features in the eyes and mouth. Together, our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying social trait judgments in ASD.
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Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Encéfalo , Reconhecimento Facial , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Percepção Social , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/fisiopatologia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/diagnóstico por imagem , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Adulto Jovem , Reconhecimento Facial/fisiologia , Encéfalo/fisiopatologia , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagem , Julgamento/fisiologia , Mapeamento Encefálico , AdolescenteRESUMO
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and its morbidity is increasing worldwide due to increasing prevalence. Metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as a hallmark of cancer and serves a role in cancer progression. Glucose, lipids and amino acids are three major components whose altered metabolism can directly affect the energy production of cells, including liver cancer cells. Nutrients and energy are indispensable for the growth and proliferation of cancer cells, thus altering the metabolism of hepatoma cells can inhibit the progression of HCC. The present review summarizes recent studies on tumour regulatory molecules, including numerous noncoding RNAs, oncogenes and tumour suppressors, which regulate the metabolic activities of glucose, lipids and amino acids by targeting key enzymes, signalling pathways or interactions between the two. These regulatory molecules can regulate the rapid proliferation of cancer cells, tumour progression and treatment resistance. It is thought that these tumour regulatory factors may serve as therapeutic targets or valuable biomarkers for HCC, with the potential to mitigate HCC drug resistance. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of metabolic inhibitors as a treatment approach for HCC, as well as possible solutions are discussed, providing insights for developing more effective treatment strategies for HCC.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Animais , Metabolismo Energético , Transdução de Sinais , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Glucose/metabolismo , Metabolismo dos Lipídeos , Reprogramação MetabólicaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a pervasive, chronic sleep-related respiratory condition that causes brain structural alterations and cognitive impairments. However, the causal association of OSA with brain morphology and cognitive performance has not been determined. METHODS: We conducted a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between OSA and a range of neurocognitive characteristics, including brain cortical structure, brain subcortical structure, brain structural change across the lifespan, and cognitive performance. Summary-level GWAS data for OSA from the FinnGen consortium was used to identify genetically predicted OSA. Data regarding neurocognitive characteristics were obtained from published meta-analysis studies. Linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis was employed to reveal genetic correlations between OSA and related traits. RESULTS: Our MR study provided evidence that OSA was found to significantly increase the volume of the hippocampus (IVW ß (95% CI) = 158.997 (76.768 to 241.227), P = 1.51e-04), with no heterogeneity and pleiotropy detected. Nominally causal effects of OSA on brain structures, such as the thickness of the temporal pole with or without global weighted, amygdala structure change, and cerebellum white matter change covering lifespan, were observed. Bidirectional causal links were also detected between brain cortical structure, brain subcortical, cognitive performance, and OSA risk. LDSC regression analysis showed no significant correlation between OSA and hippocampus volume. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we observed a positive association between genetically predicted OSA and hippocampus volume. These findings may provide new insights into the bidirectional links between OSA and neurocognitive features, including brain morphology and cognitive performance.
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Encéfalo , Análise da Randomização Mendeliana , Apneia Obstrutiva do Sono , Humanos , Apneia Obstrutiva do Sono/genética , Apneia Obstrutiva do Sono/complicações , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagem , Encéfalo/patologia , Cognição/fisiologia , Estudo de Associação Genômica Ampla , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , Disfunção Cognitiva/genética , Disfunção Cognitiva/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
Neurotypical (NT) individuals and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make different judgments of social traits from others' faces; they also exhibit different social emotional responses in social interactions. A common hypothesis is that the differences in face perception in ASD compared with NT is related to distinct social behaviors. To test this hypothesis, we combined a face trait judgment task with a novel interpersonal transgression task that induces measures social emotions and behaviors. ASD and neurotypical participants viewed a large set of naturalistic facial stimuli while judging them on a comprehensive set of social traits (e.g., warm, charismatic, critical). They also completed an interpersonal transgression task where their responsibility in causing an unpleasant outcome to a social partner was manipulated. The purpose of the latter task was to measure participants' emotional (e.g., guilt) and behavioral (e.g., compensation) responses to interpersonal transgression. We found that, compared with neurotypical participants, ASD participants' self-reported guilt and compensation tendency was less sensitive to our responsibility manipulation. Importantly, ASD participants and neurotypical participants showed distinct associations between self-reported guilt and judgments of criticalness from others' faces. These findings reveal a novel link between perception of social traits and social emotional responses in ASD.
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Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Transtorno Autístico , Humanos , Julgamento , Emoções , CulpaRESUMO
The correlation between structure and properties in the photodegradation reaction of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) was explored in this work. Three BiOCl samples with different sizes, morphological structures, and defects were prepared through a hydrothermal method with experimental manipulation. Their structural properties were comprehensively characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron spin resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. Taking the photodegradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) as the probe reaction, we found that high activity could be achieved by decreasing their crystal size and thickness, introducing proper defects in the structure, and assembling the nanosheets to get microball structure. Combined with radical-scavenge experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trap spectra, we conclude that ÌO2- was the dominant reactive oxygen species for the degradation reaction. The degradation detailed pathway of TC-HCl was further analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. This work explores the structure-property correlation of BiOCl and provides strategies for the rational design of active photocatalysts for water remediation.
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Plasma membrane perforation elicited by caspase cleavage of the gasdermin D (GSDMD) N-terminal domain (GSDMD-NT) triggers pyroptosis. The mechanisms underlying GSDMD membrane translocation and pore formation are not fully understood. Here, using a proteomic approach, we identified fatty acid synthase (FASN) as a GSDMD-binding partner. S-palmitoylation of GSDMD at Cys191/Cys192 (human/mouse), catalyzed by palmitoyl acyltransferases ZDHHC5 and ZDHHC9 and facilitated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), directly mediated membrane translocation of GSDMD-NT but not full-length GSDMD (GSDMD-FL). Palmitoylation of GSDMD-FL could be induced before inflammasome activation by stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), consequently serving as an essential molecular event in macrophage priming. Inhibition of GSDMD palmitoylation suppressed macrophage pyroptosis and IL-1ß release, mitigated organ damage, and enhanced the survival of septic mice. Thus, GSDMD-NT palmitoylation is a key regulatory mechanism controlling GSDMD membrane localization and activation, which may offer an additional target for modulating immune activity in infectious and inflammatory diseases.
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Piroptose , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , Gasderminas , Lipoilação , ProteômicaRESUMO
The surgery first approach (SFA) and clear aligners technique can address traditional treatment defects, such as prolonged waiting times for surgery and a less desirable facial appearance due to wire aligners. However, the curative effect of the combination remains uncertain. The randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the skeletal stability of the SFA compared to the conventional orthodontic first approach (OFA), both of which were applied with clear aligners. A total of 74 participants were randomly allocated to two groups: the SFA group (experimental) and the OFA group (control). The skeletal deviation was calculated using reconstruction models from computed tomography scans taken immediately and 6 months after surgery. The largest median deviations were detected in the y-axis of the mandible for both two groups, separately 1.36 mm in the experimental group and 1.19 mm in the control group. Apart from the maxillary yaw dimension (p = 0.005), there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of linear and angular deviation. The experimental group had an overall treatment time of 18.05 ± 2.53 months, while the control group took 22.83 ± 3.60 months (p < 0.05). Therefore, the combined surgery-first and clear aligners treatment can achieve comparable skeletal stability to the conventional approach, while also saving significant time.
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The performance of ethylene/1-octene copolymer primarily depends on the microstructure of the polymer chain. This study employed a new method to control the inter-distribution of hexyl chain branches directly on the backbone of the ethylene/1-octene copolymer. Three ethylene/1-octene copolymers with different inter-distributions of hexyl chain branches were synthesized using [Me2Si(C5Me4) (NtBu)] TiCl2 (Ti-CGC) by different feeding sequences in the semi-continuous polymerization reaction system. The three copolymers were named according to the feeding sequence of the materials: ethylene/1-octene/Ti-CGC (EOC), 1-octene/Ti-CGC/ethylene (OCE), and ethylene/Ti-CGC/1-octene (ECO), respectively. The structure and properties of the copolymers were characterized using HT-GPC, 13C-NMR, DSC, WAXD, DMA, MI, and Uniaxial Tension Test. The results showed that the feeding sequence greatly affected the comonomer distribution of the molecular chains, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and chemical composition of the copolymers, consequently influencing their thermal performance and mechanical properties. Thus, it is probable that one could obtain an ethylene/1-octene copolymer with designed properties by controlling the feeding sequence during the ethylene/1-octene semi-continuous copolymerization process.
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Both lytic and apoptotic cell death remove senescent and damaged cells in living organisms. However, they elicit contrasting pro- and anti-inflammatory responses, respectively. The precise cellular mechanism that governs the choice between these two modes of death remains incompletely understood. Here we identify Gasdermin E (GSDME) as a master switch for neutrophil lytic pyroptotic death. The tightly regulated GSDME cleavage and activation in aging neutrophils are mediated by proteinase-3 and caspase-3, leading to pyroptosis. GSDME deficiency does not alter neutrophil overall survival rate; instead, it specifically precludes pyroptosis and skews neutrophil death towards apoptosis, thereby attenuating inflammatory responses due to augmented efferocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by macrophages. In a clinically relevant acid-aspiration-induced lung injury model, neutrophil-specific deletion of GSDME reduces pulmonary inflammation, facilitates inflammation resolution, and alleviates lung injury. Thus, by controlling the mode of neutrophil death, GSDME dictates host inflammatory outcomes, providing a potential therapeutic target for infectious and inflammatory diseases.
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Gasderminas , Lesão Pulmonar , Humanos , Neutrófilos , Apoptose , PiroptoseRESUMO
Receiving a favor from another person may induce a negative feeling of indebtedness for the beneficiary. In this study, we explore these hidden costs by developing and validating a conceptual model of indebtedness across three studies that combine a large-scale online questionnaire, an interpersonal game, computational modeling, and neuroimaging. Our model captures how individuals perceive the altruistic and strategic intentions of the benefactor. These inferences produce distinct feelings of guilt and obligation that together comprise indebtedness and motivate reciprocity. Perceived altruistic intentions convey care and communal concern and are associated with activity in insula, ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while inferred strategic intentions convey expectations of future reciprocity and are associated with activation in temporal parietal junction and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. We further develop a neural utility model of indebtedness using multivariate patterns of brain activity that captures the tradeoff between these feelings and reliably predicts reciprocity behavior.
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Emoções , Culpa , Humanos , Córtex Pré-Frontal/diagnóstico por imagem , Córtex Pré-Frontal/fisiologia , Altruísmo , Intenção , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodosRESUMO
Faces are among the most important visual stimuli that humans perceive in everyday life. While extensive literature has examined emotional processing and social evaluations of faces, most studies have examined either topic using unimodal approaches. In this review, we promote the use of multimodal cognitive neuroscience approaches to study these processes, using two lines of research as examples: ambiguity in facial expressions of emotion and social trait judgment of faces. In the first set of studies, we identified an event-related potential that signals emotion ambiguity using electroencephalography and we found convergent neural responses to emotion ambiguity using functional neuroimaging and single-neuron recordings. In the second set of studies, we discuss how different neuroimaging and personality-dimensional approaches together provide new insights into social trait judgments of faces. In both sets of studies, we provide an in-depth comparison between neurotypicals and people with autism spectrum disorder. We offer a computational account for the behavioral and neural markers of the different facial processing between the two groups. Finally, we suggest new practices for studying the emotional processing and social evaluations of faces. All data discussed in the case studies of this review are publicly available.
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Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Reconhecimento Facial , Humanos , Julgamento , Emoções/fisiologia , Eletroencefalografia , Expressão FacialRESUMO
The extracellular potassium ion concentration in the brain exerts a significant influence on cellular excitability and intercellular communication. Perturbations in the extracellular potassium ion level are closely correlated with various chronic neuropsychiatric disorders including depression. However, a critical gap persists in performing real-time and long-term monitoring of extracellular potassium ions, which is necessary for comprehensive profiling of chronic neuropsychiatric diseases. Here, a fiber potassium ion sensor (FKS) that consists of a soft conductive fiber with a rough surface and a hydrophobic-treated transduction layer interfaced with a potassium ion-selective membrane is found to solve this problem. The FKS demonstrates stable interfaces between its distinct functional layers in an aqueous environment, conferring an exceptional stability of 6 months in vivo, in stark contrast to previous reports with working durations from hours to days. Upon implantation into the mouse brain, the FKS enables effective monitoring of extracellular potassium ion dynamics under diverse physiological states including anesthesia, forced swimming, and tail suspension. Using this FKS, tracking of extracellular potassium ion fluctuations that align with behaviors associated with the progression of depression over months is achieved, demonstrating its usability in studying chronic neuropsychiatric disorders from a new biochemical perspective.
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Encéfalo , Potássio , Animais , Camundongos , ÍonsRESUMO
PURPOSE: To prepare PEGS/ß-TCP modified magnesium alloy (PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG) membranes by forming a glycolated poly(sebacate)/ß-tricalcium phosphate (PEGS/ß-TCP) coating on the surface of magnesium-zinc-gadolinium alloy (MZG) membranes, and to evaluate the osteogenic induction activity and immunomodulatory properties of PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG using the material extract medium. METHODS: PEGS/ß-TCP coating was prepared on the surface of MZG by solvent method, and the PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG membrane was fabricated and compared with PEGS/ß-TCP and MZG to examine the morphology, composition, and hydrophilicity. The amount of magnesium ions released and the pH value of the materials were tested after 3 days of immersion. The cell viability and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3 cells induced by extract medium were investigated by CCK-8 assay, ALP and mineralized nodule staining. The cell viability and polarization of RAW cells induced by extract medium were then investigated. The expression of macrophage-secreted cytokines was examined by PCR analysis. GraphPad Prism 9.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG membranes with PEGS/ß-TCP coating tightly embedded with MZG were successfully fabricated, and the material had good hydrophilicity. The results of degradation experiments indicated that the PEGS/ß-TCP coating effectively slowed down the degradation rate of MZG, leading to a lower pH value and concentration of Mg2+ ion in the extract medium of PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG group. The results of in vitro cell experiments showed that PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG had no significant effect on the proliferation activity of both MC3T3-E1 and macrophages. PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG significantly enhanced the expression of ALP and mineralized nodule staining in MC3T3-E1. Although there was no significant difference in macrophage polarization pattern between PEGS/ß-TCP and PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG groups, PEGS/ß-TCP/MZG further reduced inflammation based on the immunomodulation of PEGS/ß-TCP coating related TNF-α expression and increased osteogenesis related TGF-ß expression. CONCLUSIONS: MZG membrane modified by PEGS/ß-TCP may provide a new material option for the development of bone tissue engineering.
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Magnésio , Osteogênese , Magnésio/farmacologia , Magnésio/química , Ligas/farmacologia , Ligas/química , Fosfatos de Cálcio/farmacologia , Diferenciação Celular , Polietilenoglicóis/farmacologiaRESUMO
Hemifacial Microsomia (HFM) is the second most common congenital craniofacial malformation syndrome, and the complexity of HFM makes its treatment challenging. The present study aimed to introduce a new approach of utilization of virtual surgical planning (VSP) and 3D-printed surgical adjuncts for maxillofacial reconstruction. Five HFM patients were included in this study. All participants were provided with a full VSP, including the design of osteotomy lines, the design and fabrication of 3D-printed cutting guides, fixation plates, and titanium mesh for implantation. With the assistance of 3D-printed cutting guides and fixation plates, the orbital deformities were corrected, and a 3D-printed titanium mesh combined with iliac cancellous bone graft was applied to reconstruct the zygomatic arch. The surgical accuracy, effectiveness, and bone absorption rate were evaluated. All patients completed the entirely digital treatment process without experiencing severe complications. The surgical adjuncts were effective in aligning the movement of the bone segments with the surgical plan, resulting in mean 3D deviations (1.0681 ± 0.15 mm) and maximum 3D deviations (3.1127 ± 0.44 mm). The image fusion results showed that the patients' postoperative position of the maxilla, zygoma, and orbital rim was consistent with the virtual surgical plan, with only a slight increase in the area of bone grafting. The postoperative measurements showed significant improvement in the asymmetry indices of Er (AI of Er: from 17.91 ± 3.732 to 5.427 ± 1.389 mm, p = 0.0001) and FZ (AI of FZ: from 7.581 ± 1.435 to 4.070 ± 1.028 mm, p = 0.0009) points. In addition, the observed bone resorption rate at the 6-month follow-up across the five patients was 45.24% ± 3.13%. In conclusion, the application of VSP and 3D-printed surgical adjuncts demonstrates significant value in enhancing the precision and effectiveness of surgical treatments for HFM. A 3D-printed titanium mesh combined with iliac cancellous bone graft can be considered an ideal alternative for the reconstruction of the zygomatic arch.
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The immune system contributes to the pathophysiology of endometriosis. The role of ThGM cells, which produce granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), in the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unknown. To analyze the features of ThGM cells in endometriosis, a mouse endometriosis model was established. ThGM cells in the spleen, peritoneal fluid (PF), and endometriotic lesions (EL) were measured by flow cytometry, based on the expression of surface markers and intracellular proteins. Live ThGM cells were sorted according to chemokine receptor expression profiles and their effects on other CD4+ T cell subsets were determined by co-culture assays. An adoptive transfer assay was performed to characterize the effect of ThGM cells on endometriosis. We found that ThGM cells were present in endometriotic PF and EL. Live EL ThGM cells were enriched in CD4+CXCR3-CCR8-CCR4+CCR10+ T cells. EL ThGM cells differentially express interleukin-35 receptor (IL-35R), consisting of an IL-35R+ subset and an IL-35R- subset. The IL-35R+ subset expressed less GM-CSF, interleukin-2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and proliferated slower than the IL-35R- subset. Meanwhile, the IL-35R+ subset was weaker than the IL-35R- subset in promoting the functions of Th1 and Th17 cells. ThGM cell transfer did not influence EL development but significantly alleviated pro-inflammatory cytokines in PF and ELs. Interleukin-35 (IL-35), the ligand of IL-35R, suppressed ThGM cell function and proliferation in an IL-35R-dependent manner. In summary, ThGM cells in the PF and ELs might exacerbate endometriotic inflammation. IL-35 might suppress the function of ThGM cells via IL-35R.