Acanthopanax senticosus cultures fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus enhanced immune response through improvement of antioxidant activity and inflammation in crucian carp (Carassius auratus).

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been recognized as safe microorganism that improve micro-flora disturbances and enhance immune response. A well-know traditional herbal medicine, Acanthopanax senticosus (As) was extensively utilized in aquaculture to improve growth performance and disease resistance. Particularly, the septicemia, skin wound and gastroenteritis caused by Aeromonas hydrophila threaten the health of aquatic animals and human. However, the effects of probiotic fermented with A. senticosus product on the immune regulation and pathogen prevention in fish remain unclear. Here, the aim of the present study was to elucidate whether the A. senticosus fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus improve immune barrier function. The crucian carp were fed with basal diet supplemented with L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus cultures at 2 %, 4 %, 6 % and 8 % bacterial inoculum for 8 weeks. After trials, the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly increased, especially in LGG-6 group. The results confirmed that the level of the CAT, GSH-PX, SOD, lysozyme, and MDA was enhanced in fish received with probiotic fermented product. Moreover, the L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus cultures could trigger innate and adaptive immunity, including the up-regulation of the C3, C4, and IgM concentration. The results of qRT-PCR revealed that stronger mRNA transcription of IL-1ß, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and MyD88 genes in the liver, spleen, kidney, intestine and gills tissues of fish treated with probiotic fermented with A. senticosus product. After infected with A. hydrophila, the survival rate of the LGG-2 (40 %), LGG-4 (50 %), LGG-6 (60 %), LGG-8 (50 %) groups was higher than the control group. Meanwhile, the pathological damage of the liver, spleen, head-kidney, and intestine tissues of probiotic fermentation-fed fish could be alleviated after pathogen infection. Therefore, the present work indicated that L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus could be regard as a potential intestine-target therapy strategy to protecting fish from pathogenic bacteria infection.

Botulinum toxin type A inhibits M1 macrophage polarization by deactivation of JAK2/STAT1 and IκB/NFκB pathway and contributes to scar alleviation in aseptic skin wound healing.

The non-neuronal and non-muscular effects of botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) on scar reduction has been discovered. This study was designed to investigate the effects of BTXA on macrophages polarization during the early stage of skin repair. A skin defect model was established on the dorsal skin of SD rats. BTXA was intracutaneous injected into the edge of wound immediately as the model was established. Histological examinations were performed on scar samples. Raw 264.7 was selected as the cell model of recruited circulating macrophages, and was induced for M1 polarization by LPS. Identify the signaling pathways that primarily regulated M1 polarization and respond to BTXA treatment. Application of BTXA at early stage of injury significantly reduced the scar diameter without delaying wound closure. BTXA treatment improved fiber proliferation and arrangement, and inhibited angiogenesis in scar granular tissue. The number of M1 macrophages and the levels of pro-inflammation were decreased after treated with BTXA in scar tissues. LPS activated JAK2/STAT1 and IκB/NFκB pathways were downregulated by BTXA, as well as LPS induced M1 polarization. At early stage of skin wound healing, injection of BTXA effectively reduced the number of M1 macrophages and the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators which contributes to scar alleviation. BTXA resisted the M1 polarization of macrophages induced by LPS via deactivating the JAK2/STAT1 and IκB/NFκB pathways.

One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with an iliac flap: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: One-stage jaw reconstruction with fibular flap and prosthetic rehabilitation restores bony and dental continuity simultaneously. It was also called as "jaw-in-a-day (JIAD)" technique. However, bone volume and height of fibular flap may be insufficient for dental implant insertion. The provision of a considerable amount of bone makes an iliac flap the ideal choice in these cases. We present the first case report to document the use of one-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap. CASE PRESENTATION: We modified the conventional JIAD workflow to make it suitable for iliac flap. Two cases were presented who both underwent segmental mandibulectomy for ameloblastoma. Virtual surgical planning was performed in all cases. The iliac crest was positioned upward to provide cortical bone for achieving primary stability of dental implants. Similar to the "all-on-4" procedure, the iliac bone was placed 12 to 15 mm below the occlusal plane to create adequate space for the implant-retained prosthesis. Immediate implant-based dental rehabilitation was performed at same stage. The surgery was successful in all cases without any short-term complications. In the first postoperative week, patients were given a liquid diet through a nasal feeding tube. The liquid diet is advised until 1 month after the surgery. Thereafter, a soft diet is recommended. Patients were advised to resume routine mastication and normal diet 3 months after the surgery. Peri-implantitis occurred in one patient, and additional gingival graft was required. Postoperative function and esthetics were satisfactory at the last follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap are safe and useful for restoring postoperative function and esthetics. It should be used in more cases with a longer follow-up in further studies.

A comparison of accuracy among different approaches of static-guided implant placement in patients treated with mandibular reconstruction: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the accuracy of immediate intraoral, immediate extraoral, and delayed dental implant placement with surgical guides (static computer-aided implant surgery) in patients treated with mandibular reconstruction. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. The patients were divided into three groups: immediate intraoral placement (IIO), immediate extraoral placement (IEO), and delayed placement (DEL). Four variables were used to compare the planned and actual implant positions: angular deviation, three-dimensional (3D) deviation at the entry point of the implant, 3D deviation at the apical point of the implant, and depth deviation. RESULTS: The angular deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .05) groups. The 3D deviation at the entry point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .01) groups. The 3D deviation at the apical point was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .01) and DEL (p < .01) groups. The depth deviation was significantly higher in the IIO group than in the IEO (p < .05) and DEL (p < .05) groups. There was no statistical difference between the IEO and DEL group in angular and 3D deviation. CONCLUSION: With surgical guides, among the different approaches for implant placement, delayed implant placement remains the most accurate approach for patients treated with mandibular reconstruction.

Reconstruction of the anterior maxillary defect using a vascularized bone flap with residual teeth in the posterior maxilla.

BACKGROUND: Microsurgical bone reconstruction is challenging in cases of anterior maxillary defects because of the presence of residual teeth. The study analyzed the method and feasibility of using vascularized bone flaps to reconstruct anterior maxillary defects. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 15 patients treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School, and Hospital of Stomatology between November 2017 and January 2023. RESULTS: A total of 14 patients were successfully reconstructed using the digital technique: 6 deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) flaps and 8 fibular free flaps. Palatal and buccal pedicle paths were used in 4 and 10 cases, respectively, for vascular anastomosis. The implant coverage rates of the DCIA and fibular free flaps were 87.2% and 92.6%, respectively (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Anterior maxillary defects reconstructed with the DCIA and fibular free flaps are reliable methods. Furthermore, the palatal and buccal paths are recommended for vascular anastomosis.

The effect of anterior superior iliac spine preservation on donor site morbidity and function after harvesting a vascularized iliac bone flap.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) preservation on donor site morbidity and function after harvesting a vascularized iliac bone flap (VIBF). METHODS: Patients who underwent jaws reconstruction with VIBF were divided into a maintaining the anterior superior iliac spine (MASIS) group and a not maintaining the anterior superior iliac spine (NMASIS) group. Pain, tenderness, sensory deficit, gait disturbance, and function of the donor site were evaluated before and after the operation. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included in this study, of which 18 were in the MASIS group. The incidence of sensory deficit in the MASIS group was significantly lower than that in the NMASIS group (50.0% vs. 86.7%, p = 0.010). Pain, tenderness, gait disturbance, and function did not differ statistically between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Except for sensory deficit, ASIS preservation has minimal impact on donor site morbidity and function.

Early swallowing training after free flap surgery in oral cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of early swallowing training on postoperative outcomes of patients who had undergone oral cancer surgery plus free flap reconstruction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, 121 patients who had undergone oral cancer surgery plus free flap reconstruction were randomly assigned to the control (n = 59) or intervention group (n = 62). The control group underwent routine nursing measures. The intervention group received swallowing training on the sixth postoperative day. On the 15th day and 1 month after surgery, the swallowing function (Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability-Oral Cancer [MASA-OC] score), weight loss rate, time of nasogastric tube removal, and quality of life were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients in the intervention group had higher MASA-OC scores and better weight loss rates than those in the control group on the 15th day (MASA-OC: p = 0.014, weight loss: p < 0.001) and 1 month (both p < 0.001) after surgery. The time of nasogastric tube removal and the quality of life was statistically significant between groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early swallowing training improves the swallowing function, nutritional status, and quality of life and shortens the indwelling time of nasogastric tube of patients who have undergone oral cancer surgery plus free flap reconstruction.

Clinical Characterization of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumors and Tumor-Like Lesions in Children and Adolescents.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of oral and maxillofacial tumors in children and adolescents. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients who had oral and maxillofacial tumors under the age of 18 years and were treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 1990 to July 2021 (31 y). Their general conditions, pathological diagnosis, gender, age, and anatomical location were counted to analyze their morbidity and composition characteristics. RESULTS: This study contained 5405 cases, including 2903 male patients and 2502 female patients, with a median age of 9 years. Peak incidence was observed in the 14 to 18 years age group. The mandible (22.15%), maxilla (11.75%), and tongue (9.25%) were the most common sites of incidence. Malignant and intermediate type tumors accounted for 13.04%, benign tumors and tumor-like lesions for 55.67%, most often occurs in the maxillofacial bone, of which fibro-osseous lesions constitute an important part. Cysts accounted for 31.29%. Among the tumors occurring in the jaws, the most common malignant type was sarcoma, and ameloblastoma was the most common benign tumor. Malignant jaw tumors were mostly treated by resection, 10.64% by fibular flap reconstruction. While benign jaw tumors and tumor-like lesions were mostly treated by resection or curettage. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of anatomical location and pathological types of oral and maxillofacial tumors in children has certain characteristics, so that the selection of their treatment options is different from that of adults due to the consideration of the growth and developmental characteristics of children.

Prognosis and Nomogram Prediction for Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Cohort Study.

The TNM staging system is often used to predict the prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, we have found that patients under the same TNM staging may exhibit tremendous differences in survival rates. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prognosis of postoperative OSCC patients, establish a nomogram survival prediction model, and verify its effectiveness. Operative logs were reviewed for patients who underwent surgical treatment for OSCC at the Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. Patient demographic and surgical records were obtained, and they were followed up for overall survival (OS). A total of 432 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study, with a median follow-up time of 47 months. Based on the results of the Cox regression analysis, we constructed and verified the nomogram prediction model, which includes gender, BMI, OPMDs, pain score, SCC grade, and N stage. The C-index value of the 3-year and 5-year prediction models was 0.782 and 0.770, respectively, proving that the model has a certain level of prediction stability. The new nomogram prediction model has potential clinical significance for predicting the postoperative survival of OSCC patients.

OmpR (TCS response regulator) of Aeromonas veronii plays a major role in drug resistance, stress resistance and virulence by regulating biofilm formation.

Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii), a highly pathogenic bacteria with a wide range of hosts, widely exists in the environment of humans, animals and aquatic animals, and can cause a variety of diseases. In this study, the receptor regulator ompR in the envZ/ompR of two-component system was selected to construct a mutant strain (Δ ompR) and a complement strain (C-ompR) to explore the regulatory effect of ompR on the biological characteristics and virulence of TH0426. The results showed that the ability of biofilm formation and osmotic stress of TH0426 were significantly reduced (P < 0.001), the resistance to ceftriaxone and neomycin were slightly down-regulate when the ompR gene was deleted. At the same time, animal pathogenicity experiments showed that the virulence of TH0426 was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.001). These results indicated that ompR gene regulates the biofilm formation of TH0426, and regulates some biological characteristics of TH0426, including drug sensitivity, resistance to osmotic stress, and also affects its virulence.

Transcriptomic insights into the immune response of the intestine to Aeromonas veronii infection in northern snakehead (Channa argus).

Intestinal inflammation is a protective response that is implicated in bacterial enteritis triggered by gastrointestinal infection. The immune mechanisms elicited in teleost against the infection of Aeromonas veronii are largely unknown. In this study, we performed a de novo northern snakehead (Channa argus) transcriptome assembly using Illumina sequencing platform. On this basis we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis of northern snakehead intestine from A. veronii-challenge and phosphate buffer solution (PBS)-challenge fish, and 2076 genes were up-regulated and 1598 genes were down-regulated in the intestines infected with A. veronii. The Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched to 27, 21 and 20 GO terms in biological process, cellular component, and molecular function, respectively. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that 420 DEGs were involved in 194 pathways. Moreover, 33 DEGs were selected for quantitative real-time PCR analysis to validate the RNA-seq data. The results reflected the consistency of the expression levels between qRT-PCR and RNA-seq data. In addition, a time-course analysis of the mRNA expression of 33 immune-related genes further indicated that the intestinal inflammation to A. veronii infection simultaneously regulated gene expression alterations. The present study provides transcriptome data of the teleost intestine, allowing us to understand the mechanisms of intestinal inflammation triggered by bacterial pathogens. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and Supplementary files. The RNA-seq raw sequence data are available in NCBI short read archive (SRA) database under accession number PRJNA615958.

Immunization effect of recombinant Lactobacillus casei displaying Aeromonas veronii Aha1 with an LTB adjuvant in carp.

Aeromonas veronii is an important aquatic zoonotic, which elicits a range of diseases, such as haemorrhagic septicemia. To develop an effective oral vaccine against Aeromonas veronii infection in carp, the Aeromonas veronii adhesion (Aha1) gene was used as a target molecule to attach to intestinal epithelial cells. Two anchored recombinant. Lactic acid bacteria strains (LC-pPG-Aha1 1038 bp and LC-pPG-Aha1-LTB 1383 bp) were constructed by fusing them with the E. coli intolerant enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) gene and using Lactobacillus casei as antigen delivery vector to evaluate immune effects of these in carp. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to confirm that protein expression was successful. Additionally, levels of specific IgM in serum and the activities of ACP, AKP, SOD, LYS, C3, C4, and lectin enzymes-were assessed. Cytokines IL-10, IL-1ß, TNF-α, IgZ1, and IgZ2 were measured in the liver, spleen, kidney, intestines, and gills tissue by qRT-PCR, which showed an increasing trend compared with the control group (P < 0.05). A colonization assay showed that the two L. casei recombinants colonized the middle and hind intestines of immunized fish. When immunized carp were experimentally challenged with Aeromonas veronii the relative percentage protection of LC-pPG-Aha1 was 53.57%, and LC-pPG-Aha1-LTB was 60.71%. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that Aha1 is a promising candidate antigen when it is displayed on lactic acid bacteria (Lc-pPG-Aha1 and Lc-pPG-Aha1-LTB) seems promising for a mucosal therapeutic approach. We plan to investigate the molecular mechanism of the L. casei recombinant in regulating the intestinal tissue of carp in future studies.

Vascularized Free Fibular Flap in Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction: A 20-year Experience at a Single Institution Using 2640 Flaps.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study reviewed all patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial reconstruction with fibular flaps in the last 2 decades at a single hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed all patients with fibular flaps from 1999 to 2018. The following data were collected: sex; age; reconstruction region; diagnosis; the number of days spent in the hospital after surgery; time spent using a tourniquet for harvesting a fibula flap; vessels at the recipient site; the prevalence of unplanned reoperations; the prevalence of flap failure; history of preoperative radiotherapy; virtual surgical planning; segments of the fibula. RESULTS: In total, 2640 patients were included. The mean age was 45.5 years. The most prevalent region of reconstruction was the mandible (n=2347, 88.9%). The most common diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (n=1057, 40.0%). The mean number of days spent in the hospital after surgery decreased year-by-year from 18.3 days to 10.4 days. The first choice of recipient artery was the facial artery (n=1643, 62.2%) and that of the recipient vein was the external jugular vein (n=1196, 45.3%). The prevalence of surgical success was 97.6%. Prevalence of unplanned reoperations was 7.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The fibular flap was a good choice for oral and maxillofacial bony reconstruction in most cases.

Iliac crest towards alveolar processes or mandibular inferior margin in mandibular reconstruction with a vascularized iliac bone flap: which is better?

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to compare differences among iliac bone flaps with different iliac crest orientations for the repair of mandibular defects with an aim to analyze their advantages, disadvantages, and effects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical data and computed tomography scans of all patients who underwent iliac bone flap repair of the mandible in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2016 to April 2021 were collected. Patients were divided into the iliac crest towards alveolar process (Group A) and the iliac crest towards mandibular inferior margin (Group B). Software was used to measure corresponding indicators. The results obtained for the groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 78 patients (25 and 53 in groups A and B, respectively). The symmetry of the LC-type defect was better in group A (p < 0.05). The all-bone width of the alveolar process side in group A was greater than 6 mm; in 15 cases of group B, the width was less than 6 mm (p < 0.05). The intermaxillary distance of two sites were higher in group B (p < 0.05). The bone cortical thickness was significantly thicker in group A (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: One year after the mandibular body defect was reconstructed with a vascularized iliac bone flap, the iliac crest towards alveolar process group showed better bone symmetry, width, intermaxillary distance, and cortical thickness to meet the planting requirements. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of an iliac crest towards alveolar process may be a better approach for mandible reconstruction.

Timing of Oral Feeding in Patients Who have Undergone Free Flap Reconstruction for Oral Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the safety and effectiveness of a nasogastric tube removal plan designed to shorten nasogastric tube indwelling time after oral cancer surgery plus free flap reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A parallel randomized clinical trial was conducted from May 2021 to December 2021 at Peking University School of Stomatology. Volunteers (n = 128) were separated into four groups: non-tracheostomy control and intervention groups and tracheostomy control and intervention groups. Control patients received the conventional nasogastric tube removal plan. Non-tracheotomy intervention patients were asked to swallow 5 ml of water on the first postoperative day. If there was no coughing, they were allowed progressively increasing amounts of water for the following 2 days. The nasogastric tube was removed only after ensuring level I/II performance on the Watian water swallowing test, no "wet voice" after drinking water, no marked decrease in blood oxygen saturation after drinking, and satisfactory daily oral nutritional intake. Tracheotomy intervention patients received the same protocol plus an additional Watian water swallowing test after tracheal tube removal. RESULTS: Nasogastric tube removal time was earlier in the intervention subgroups than in control subgroups: 5.0 ± 2.3 days versus 7.8 ± 3.9 days (p = 0.001) in non-tracheostomy patients and 9.8 ± 1.1 days versus 16.2 ± 13.0 days (p = 0.049) in tracheostomy patients. Incidence of wound complications and daily food intake were comparable between the groups. The incidence of pneumonia was lower in the tracheostomy intervention group than in the tracheostomy control group (12.5% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.162). Pharyngeal pain score was lower in tracheotomy intervention patients than in tracheotomy control patients (p = 0.029). Postoperative hospital stay was shorter in tracheotomy intervention patients than in tracheotomy control patients (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of ensuring safety and effectiveness, patients undergone free flap reconstruction for oral cancer could be offered oral intake early after surgery, which will not increase the incidence of wound complications and pneumonia or adversely affecting the oral intake of the patients; it can also help minimize pharyngeal pain and shorten postoperative hospital stay of patients with a tracheotomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Laryngoscope, 133:1382-1387, 2023.

The effects of dietary supplementation of ginseng stem and leaf saponins on the antioxidant capacity, immune response, and disease resistance of crucian carp, Carassius auratus.

This is the first study to explore the positive effects of ginseng stem and leaf saponins (GSLS) on antioxidant capability, immunity, and disease resistance of crucian carp. Seven hundred fifty crucian carps (initial body weight: 25 ± 0.15 g (mean ± SE)) were randomly allocated into five groups with three replicates each; five diets supplemented with the final concentration of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/kg GSLS were fed to crucian carp for 5 weeks. The results demonstrated that, at a concentration of 8 g/kg, the contents of IgM, C4, SOD, GSH-Px, and the activity of AKP in serum of crucian carp gradually increased at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days, and the expression of immune-relative cytokine genes (TNF-α, IL-10, IFN-γ) in the liver, spleen, and the intestinal tract also had a significant up-regulation (P < 0.05), and which were significant difference compared with control (P < 0.05). The above results demonstrated that dietary GSLS showed enhancement effects on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capability, and innate immune response of crucian carp. The feed of 8 g/kg GSLS for 1 week could improve the survival rate 44% more than the control group when crucian carp infected Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila). In conclusion, the addition of GSLS at a concentration of 8 g/kg in the diet improve immune-related enzyme activity better, immune-relative cytokine expression, and disease resistance.

Dietary supplementation of probiotics fermented Chinese herbal medicine Sanguisorba officinalis cultures enhanced immune response and disease resistance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) against Aeromonas hydrophila.

Aeromonas hydrophila, a Gram-negative bacterium, is one of the major pathogens causing bacterial sepsis in aquatic animals due to drug resistance and pathogenicity, which could cause high mortality and serious economic losses to the aquaculture. Sanguisorba officinalis (called DiYu in Chinese, DY) is well known as herbal medicine, which could inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, hemostasis and regulate the immune response. Moreover, the active ingredients in DY could remarkably reduce drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the effects of probiotic fermentation cultures on A. hydrophila through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Three lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG), Lactobacillus casei (LC) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), were selected to ferment the Chinese herbal medicine DY. The assays of antagonism showed that all three fermented cultures could influence the ability of A. hydrophila growth, among which L. rhamnosus fermented DY cultures appeared to be the strongest inhibitory effect. In addition, the biofilm determination revealed that L. rhamnosus fermented DY cultures could significantly inhibit the biofilm formation of A. hydrophila compared to the other groups. Furthermore, protease, lecithinase and urease activities were found in the three fermentation cultures. Three probiotics fermented DY cultures were orally administration with crucian carp to evaluate the growth performance, immunological parameters and pathogen resistance. The results showed that the three fermentation cultures could promote the growth performance of crucian carp, and the immunoglobulins, antioxidant-related enzymes and immune-related genes were significantly enhanced. Besides, the results showed that crucian carp received L. rhamnosus (60.87%), L. casei (56.09%) and L. plantarum (41.46%) fermented DY cultures had higher survival rates compared with the control group after infection with A. hydrophila. Meanwhile, the pathological tissue results revealed that the probiotic fermented cultures could largely improve the tissues damage caused by the pathogenic bacteria. In conclusion, this study proved that the fermentation cultures of three probiotics could effectively inhibit the growth of A. hydrophila, regulate the level of immune response and improve the survival rate against A. hydrophila in crucian carp. The present data suggest that probiotic fermented Sanguisorba officinalis act as a potential gut-targeted therapy regimens to protecting fish from pathogenic bacteria infection.

In Vivo Oral Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping by Near-Infrared Fluorescent Methylene Blue in Rats.

This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging using methylene blue (MB) for detecting oral sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in rats and compared MB's tracer effects with those of indocyanine green (ICG) in SLN mapping. Different concentrations of MB were injected into the rats' left lingual submucosa to determine the optimal concentration by using a continuous (1 h) MI-1 fluorescence imaging system. To compare the tracer effects of the optimal MB concentration with ICG in oral SLN mapping, MI-1 imaging was continuously monitored for 12 h. The mean signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of the SLNs and SLN fluorescence area fraction were analyzed. SLNs and lymphatic vessels were clearly visible in all rats. The optimal injection dose of MB infected into lingual submucosa for NIR fluorescence imaging was 0.2 mL of 6.68 mM MB. During continuous monitoring for 12 h, the mean SBR of the SLNs was significantly higher in the ICG groups than in the MB groups (p < 0.001). However, the area fraction of SLN fluorescence in the ICG groups increased continuously, owing to strong fluorescent contamination. This study examined the feasibility of detection of draining lymph nodes in the oral cavity of rats using MB NIR fluorescence imaging. MB causes less fluorescent contamination than does ICG, which shows promise for clinical research and application.

Effects of personalized swallowing rehabilitation in patients with oral cancer after free flap transplantation: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Dysphagia is a common and serious complication in patients with oral cancer after free flap transplantation (OC-FFT), which seriously affects their quality of life. Studies have found swallowing rehabilitation can improve the swallowing ability of these patients, but the studies have design deficiencies. This study's purpose was to test the effectiveness of personalized swallowing rehabilitation for this patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cluster randomized, non-blind, controlled clinical trial. Participants were 68 OC-FFT patients randomly assigned to intervention (n = 34) or control (n = 34) groups. The control group received routine nursing and health education, while the intervention group received personalized swallowing rehabilitation twice a day for 10 days, based on the results of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability-Oral Cancer (MASA-OC). On the 6th and 15th days and 1 month after the operation, MASA-OC scores and percentage weight loss were measured, and the removal time to nasogastric tube was also recorded. The quality of life was evaluated 1 month after the operation. RESULTS: On day 15 and 1 month after the operation, MASA-OC scores were higher and the percentage weight loss was lower in the intervention group than the control group (P < 0.05). The removal time of the nasogastric tube was shorter (P < 0.05), and the quality of life at 1 month was better in the intervention group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Personalized swallowing rehabilitation can improve patients' swallowing after OC-FFT, promote the early removal of the nasogastric tube, and improve nutritional status and quality of life.

Mandibular Reconstruction Using Iliac Flap Based on Occlusion-Driven Workflow Transferred by Digital Surgical Guides.

PURPOSE: The current standard for mandibular reconstruction is a contour-based approach using a fibular flap offering good cosmetic results but challenging to reconstruct using dental implants. An iliac flap is more amenable to implant placement and better suited for occlusion-driven reconstruction. We aimed to describe an occlusion-driven workflow that involves the use of digital surgical guides to perform mandibular reconstruction using an iliac flap; we also aimed to compare our results to those we achieved with conventional contour-based reconstruction. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. All patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction with an iliac flap at our university hospital between September 2017 and December 2019 were considered eligible for the study. The inclusion criteria included mandibular defects after tumor ablation and stable preoperative occlusal relationship. The exclusion criteria were as follows: defects involving the condyle and ramus, temporomandibular joint disease, and obvious preoperative nontumor-related facial asymmetry. To evaluate surgical outcomes, patients were assigned to 2 groups based on the implemented surgical workflow: the occlusion-driven and traditional contour-driven groups. The intermaxillary distance, intermaxillary angle, surface deviation, and implantation rates were compared between the 2 groups. The operating time, length, and number of iliac bone segments were recorded. Intergroup differences were investigated using an independent samples t test and Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Overall, 24 patients were included (13 in the occlusion-driven group and 11 in the contour-driven group). Implantation rate was higher in the occlusion-driven group (61.5%) compared with the contour-driven group (18.2%; P = .047). The average acceptable intermaxillary distance was greater in the occlusion-driven group (92.3 ± 27.7%) than in the contour-driven group (47.0 ± 47.6%; P = .01). The average intermaxillary angle was 88.2 ± 8.4° in the occlusion-driven group and 76.4 ± 10.3° in the contour-driven group (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Digital surgical guides can precisely transfer virtual surgical planning to real-world mandibular surgery. An occlusion-driven workflow might provide a better intermaxillary jaw relationship than traditional contour-driven surgical procedures, resulting in improved mastication.