Orthodontic traction of a deeply impacted mandibular first molar via a ramus miniscrew through lateral-window technique: A case report.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of mandibular first molar impaction is less than 0.01%, and there are no standard treatment guidelines. Orthodontic traction can be chosen as a treatment plan in some circumstances. One miniscrew in the mandibular ramus can offer sufficient anchorage for the traction of impacted mandibular molars. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 10-year-old boy had a completely labially positioned maxillary left canine and a deeply impacted mandibular left first molar associated with a dentigerous cyst. Using 2 palatal miniscrews for distalization, space was created to align the maxillary left canine. In addition, a miniscrew in the mandibular ramus facilitated the traction of the mandibular left first molar. After 3 years and 6 months of orthodontic treatment, the integrity of the dental arch was restored, and occlusal function was reestablished. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: A ramus miniscrew is an effective and viable treatment option for the orthodontic traction of deeply impacted mandibular molars.

Robust and Density Tunable Kevlar/Hexagonal Boron Nitride Microribbon Aerogels with Excellent Thermal, Mechanical, and Oil-Absorption Properties.

With rapid advancements in aerospace and supersonic aircraft technology, there is a growing demand for multifunctional thermal protective materials. Aerogels, known for their low density and high porosity, have garnered significant attention in this regard. However, developing a lightweight multifunctional aerogel that combines exceptional thermal and mechanical properties through a straightforward and time-efficient method remains a significant challenge. Herein, a facile and universal approach is developed for the preparation of Kevlar/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) aerogels, in which a spin-assisted method is applied to create robust microribbons and further accelerate solvent displacement. The resulting microribbon scaffold, with its entangled nanofiber-nanosheet morphologies, exhibits sufficient strength to prevent volume shrinkage during drying, thereby allowing precise control over aerogel density. The porous hybrid aerogels, featuring controllable geometric characteristics and tailored densities ranging from 6.9 to 100 mg cm-3, can be successfully fabricated. These aerogels exhibit excellent thermal insulation properties, and the thermal conductivities of the as-prepared KBX aerogels have a wide distribution in the range of 0.0269-0.0450 W m-1 k-1. The thermal stability of the hybrid aerogels is enhanced to 566 °C. Moreover, the resulting hybrid aerogels exhibit an ultrahigh bearing ratio, supporting more than 2000 times their own weight while maintaining stable structural integrity. These aerogels also demonstrate high compressive strength, hydrophobicity, and excellent sorption performance for various oils and solvents. Additionally, the oil-saturated aerogels can be easily recovered through heat treatment or combustion in air. The features endow hybrid Kevlar/h-BN aerogels with significant potential for applications in thermal management, environmental protection, and neutron protection.

Myc-Associated Zinc Finger Protein Promotes Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Myc-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) plays a role in cancer progression and metastasis. However, the role and underlying molecular mechanism of MAZ in thyroid cancer have not yet been fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore the clinical significance of MAZ in thyroid cancer tissues, and clarify its mechanism in the occurrence and development of thyroid cancer. METHODS: The expression level of MAZ protein in thyroid cancer tissues was detected by bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship between the expression level of MAZ and clinicopathological characteristics of thyroid cancer patients was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression level of MAZ in thyroid cancer cell lines. After MAZ knockdown cell lines were constructed, wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect the migratory and invasive abilities of cancer cells. RESULTS: The results of IHC showed that the expression level of MAZ protein in thyroid cancer tissues was higher than that in normal adjacent thyroid tissues (p < 0.05), which was consistent with the high expression level of MAZ in thyroid cancer tissues found in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the expression level of MAZ was correlated with tumor diameter and tumor capsule of thyroid cancer patients. Moreover, patients with the high MAZ expression level had shorter overall and disease-free survival compared with thyroid cancer patients with the low MAZ expression level (p < 0.05). Further cell function assays indicated that downregulation of MAZ expression level could inhibit the migration and invasion of thyroid cancer cell lines. Moreover, the expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related factor fibronectin 1 (FN1) was obtained from the RNA-seq of MAZ knockdown in thyroid cancer cells. RT-qPCR confirmed that the expression level of FN1 was elevated in MAZ knockdown cell lines (p < 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the expression level of FN1 was upregulated in thyroid cancer tissues and had a negative relationship with the expression level of MAZ, as evidenced by correlation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: A high expression level of MAZ in thyroid cancer tissues was associated with a poor prognosis of patients. MAZ could affect the progression of thyroid cancer by inducing the EMT process.

The EDA/EDAR/NF-κB pathway in non-syndromic tooth agenesis: A genetic perspective.

Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (NSTA) is one of the most common dental developmental malformations affected by genetic factors predominantly. Among all 36 candidate genes reported in NSTA individuals, EDA, EDAR, and EDARADD play essential roles in ectodermal organ development. As members of the EDA/EDAR/NF-κB signaling pathway, mutations in these genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NSTA, as well as hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED), a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple ectodermal structures, including teeth. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the genetic basis of NSTA, with a focus on the pathogenic effects of the EDA/EDAR/NF-κB signaling pathway and the role of EDA, EDAR, and EDARADD mutations in developmental tooth defects. We also discuss the phenotypic overlap and genetic differences between NSTA and HED. Ultimately, this review highlights the importance of genetic analysis in diagnosing and managing NSTA and related ectodermal disorders, and the need for ongoing research to improve our understanding of these conditions.

Radiographic Features of Mandibular Second Molars with Eruption Disturbances: A Retrospective Study.

We aimed to establish the characteristics and potential etiological risk factors of eruption disturbances in mandibular second molars (MM2). We retrospectively enrolled patients with eruption disturbances in MM2. A total of 143 MM2 with eruption disturbances from 112 patients (mean age 17.45 ± 6.35) were included in this study. Panoramic radiographs were employed to determine the risk factor, angulation type, impaction depth, tooth development stage, and associated pathology. The novel classification method of MM2 was based on impaction depth and angulation. Of 143 MM2, 137 and 6 were diagnosed with impaction and retention, respectively. Insufficient space was the most frequent risk factor for eruption disturbances. There were no significant differences between retention and impaction regarding sex, age, or side. The most frequent impaction type was Type I. The most frequent angulation of impacted MM2 was mesioangular. Impacted MM2 with shallower depth were more frequently associated with the presence of first molar undercut. Impaction types did not differ according to age, side, development stage, or distance from the MM1 distal surface to the anterior border of the ramus. Dentigerous cysts were associated with earlier MM2 development stages and greater MM2 depth. In conclusion, MM2 impaction types differed according to the risk factor, angulation type, MM1 undercut, and presence of cysts. Early MM2 development stage and greater MM2 depth were risk factors for MM2 eruption disturbances with cysts.

Association of Body Mass Index (BMI) with Lip Morphology Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: Lip morphology is essential in diagnosis and treatment of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery to ensure facial aesthetics. Body mass index (BMI) has proved to have influence on facial soft tissue thickness, but its relationship with lip morphology is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and lip morphology characteristics (LMCs) and thus provide information for personalized treatment. METHODS: A cross-sectional study consisted of 1185 patients from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020 was conducted. Confounders of demography, dental features, skeletal parameters and LMCs were adjusted by multivariable linear regression to identify the association between BMI and LMCs. Group differences were evaluated with two-samples t-test and one-way ANOVA test. Mediation analysis was used for indirect effects assessment. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, BMI is independently associated with upper lip length (0.039, [0.002-0.075]), soft pogonion thickness (0.120, [0.073-0.168]), inferior sulcus depth (0.040, [0.018-0.063]), lower lip length (0.208, [0.139-0.276]), and curve fitting revealed non-linearity to BMI in obese patients. Mediation analysis found BMI was associated with superior sulcus depth and basic upper lip thickness through upper lip length. CONCLUSIONS: BMI is positively associated with LMCs, except for nasolabial angle as negatively, while obese patients reverse or weaken these associations.

Simulation and experimental study on the degradation of the greenhouse gas SF6 by thermal plasma.

SF6 gas is widely used on many occasions especially in the power equipment, but it has been restricted since Kyoto Protocol as the strongest greenhouse gas. To reduce the SF6 emission, several methods are now used such the recycling & purification and the SF6 degradation. Considering the huge market of SF6 and the recent demand in the field of power equipment, it is necessary to explore new ways to thoroughly destroy SF6. This work brought out the idea to degrade retired SF6 by thermal plasma. A simplified kinetic model was established to predict the feasibility of this idea as well as the degradation products of SF6, and then the prototype of SF6 degradation by thermal plasma was built and tested. In thermal plasma, SF6 gradually decomposed into atoms, and then H2 was added to capture the released F atoms to generate HF and also prevent the association reactions of SF6. In order to achieve the desired degradation effect, the reaction temperature and the mixing ratio of H2 should be sufficiently high. However, excessive H2 could generate the H2S, and excessive discharge power could decrease the energy yield. When the flow rate of SF6/H2 was set as 8/30 L/min and the discharge current was set as 100A, the destruction removal efficiency (DRE) of SF6 was 99.0% and the energy yield was 206 g/kWh. This work also discusses how to further treat the by-products such as HF and S from this prototype effectively.

Corrigendum: Preclinical profiles of SKB264, a novel anti-TROP2 antibody conjugated to topoisomerase inhibitor, demonstrated promising antitumor efficacy compared to IMMU-132.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.951589.].

NGF-Induced Upregulation of CGRP in Orofacial Pain Induced by Tooth Movement Is Dependent on Atp6v0a1 and Vesicle Release.

The nerve growth factor (NGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) play a crucial role in the regulation of orofacial pain. It has been demonstrated that CGRP increases orofacial pain induced by NGF. V-type proton ATPase subunit an isoform 1 (Atp6v0a1) is involved in the exocytosis pathway, especially in vesicular transport in neurons. The objective was to examine the role of Atp6v0a1 in NGF-induced upregulation of CGRP in orofacial pain induced by experimental tooth movement. Orofacial pain was elicited by ligating closed-coil springs between incisors and molars in Sprague-Dawley rats. Gene and protein expression levels were determined through real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunostaining, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Lentivirus vectors carrying Atp6v0a1 shRNA were used to knockdown the expression of Atp6v0a1 in TG and SH-SY5Y neurons. The release of vesicles in SH-SY5Y neurons was observed by using fluorescence dye FM1-43, and the release of CGRP was detected by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assy. Orofacial pain was evaluated through the rat grimace scale. Our results revealed that intraganglionic administration of NGF and Atp6v0a1 shRNA upregulated and downregulated CGRP in trigeminal ganglia (TG) and trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), respectively, and the orofacial pain was also exacerbated and alleviated, respectively, following administration of NGF and Atp6v0a1 shRNA. Besides, intraganglionic administration of NGF simultaneously caused the downregulation of Atp6v0a1 in TG. Moreover, the release of vesicles and CGRP in SH-SY5Y neurons was interfered by NGF and Atp6v0a1 shRNA. In conclusion, in the orofacial pain induced by experimental tooth movement, NGF induced the upregulation of CGRP in TG and Vc, and this process is dependent on Atp6v0a1 and vesicle release, suggesting that they are involved in the transmission of nociceptive information in orofacial pain.

Diagnostic strategy of fine needle aspiration cytology of cystic cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cystic cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma (CLMPTC) initially presents as cervical cystic lesions, which are often underdiagnosed as other cystic cervical lesions. There is no comprehensive diagnostic strategy of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology for CLMPTC. METHODS: The clinical and FNA cytomorphology data of 87 patients with CLMPTC were analyzed. Thyroglobulin (TG) immunostaining was performed in 40 cases; BRAF V600E mutation was evaluated in 42 cases; the thyroglobulin (Tg) levels of aspiration fluids were assessed in 46 cases. Correspondingly, the data of 42 cases with solid cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma (SLMPTC) and 32 cases with other cystic cervical lesions were collected as controls. RESULTS: Compared with SLMPTC, CLMPTC has less classical PTC cytomorphology characteristics-for example, nuclear crowding/overlapping, nuclear irregular contours, etc. (p < .05). Additionally, micropapillary architecture and histiocyte-like tumor cells were more often observed in CLMPTC than in SLMPTC (p < .01). The positive rate of TG immunocytochemistry in CLMPTC was 100% (40/40). The positive rate of BRAF V600E mutation in CLMPTC was 81.0% (34/42), which was higher than that in SLMPTC (64.3%; 27/42) (p = .087). The Tg levels in aspiration fluids were significantly higher in CLMPTC (all>500 µg/L) than in other cervical cystic lesions (range: 2.9 µg/L to 40.1 µg/L) (p < .01). CONCLUSION: To reduce underdiagnoses of CLMPTC, a reasonable diagnostic strategy, as summarized in this study is needed: according to the number of tumor cells, choosing immunocytochemistry (TG) and/or thyroglobulin in fine needle aspirates testing as auxiliary diagnostic measures.

Preclinical profiles of SKB264, a novel anti-TROP2 antibody conjugated to topoisomerase inhibitor, demonstrated promising antitumor efficacy compared to IMMU-132.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to improve the intratumoral accumulation of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and minimize its off-target toxicity, SKB264, a novel anti-trophoblast antigen 2 (TROP2) ADC that was developed using 2-methylsulfonyl pyrimidine as the linker to conjugate its payload (KL610023), a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor. The preclinical pharmacologic profiles of SKB264 were assessed in this study. Methods: The in vitro and in vivo pharmacologic profiles of SKB264, including efficacy, pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD), safety, and tissue distribution, were investigated using TROP2-positive cell lines, cell-derived xenograft (CDX), patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, and cynomolgus monkeys. Moreover, some profiles were compared with IMMU-132. Results: In vitro, SKB264 and SKB264 monoclonal antibody (mAb) had similar internalization abilities and binding affinities to TROP2. After cellular internalization, KL610023 was released and inhibited tumor cell survival. In vivo, SKB264 significantly inhibited tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner in both CDX and PDX models. After SKB264 administration, the serum or plasma concentration/exposure of SKB264 (conjugated ADC, number of payload units ≥1), total antibody (Tab, unconjugated and conjugated mAb regardless of the number of the payload units), and KL610023 in cynomolgus monkeys increased proportionally with increasing dosage from 1 to 10 mg/kg. The linker stability of SKB264 was significantly enhanced as shown by prolonged payload half-life in vivo (SKB264 vs. IMMU-132, 56.3 h vs. 15.5 h). At the same dose, SKB264's exposure in tumor tissue was 4.6-fold higher than that of IMMU-132. Conclusions: Compared with IMMU-132, the longer half-life of SKB264 had a stronger targeting effect and better antitumor activity, suggesting the better therapeutic potential of SKB264 for treating TROP2-positive tumors.

Association of Upper Lip Morphology Characteristics with Sagittal and Vertical Skeletal Patterns: A Cross Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Upper lip morphology is essential in diagnosis and treatment of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. This study is aimed to evaluate the association between upper lip characteristics (ULCs) and skeletal patterns (SPs). METHODS: 2079 patients were involved and grouped by sagittal and vertical. Class I, II, and III were identified by ANB angle, while normodivergent, hyperdivergent, and hypodivergent were identified by Facial Height Index and Sum of Angles. ULCs were evaluated by superior sulcus depth, nasolabial angle, upper lip length, basic upper lip thickness, and upper lip thickness. Confounders including demography, malocclusion, upper incisors, and upper lips were adjusted by multivariate linear regression to identify the association between ULCs and SPs. Group differences were evaluated with analysis of variance and Chi-square test. RESULTS: The mean value of ULCs and prevalence of SPs were explored in the Western China population. ULCs were significantly different in various sagittal, vertical, and combined SPs. Superior sulcus depth was negatively related to Class II, and positively related to Class III and the hypodivergent pattern after adjusted by confounders. CONCLUSIONS: ULCs significantly varied among different SPs, while only superior sulcus depth was independently associated with SPs, indicating superior sulcus depth is the only ULC that might be significantly corrected by intervention of skeletal growth.

m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns are involved in immune microenvironment regulation of periodontitis.

The role of epigenetic regulation in immunity is emerging, especially for RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. However, little is known about the role of m6A in the regulation of the immune microenvironment of periodontitis. Thus, we aim to investigate the impact of m6A modification in periodontitis immune microenvironment. The RNA modification patterns mediated by 23 m6A-regulators were systematically evaluated in 310 periodontitis samples. The impact of m6A modification on immune microenvironment characteristics was explored, including infiltrating immunocytes, immune reaction gene-sets and HLAs (human leukocyte antigen) gene. m6A phenotype-related immune genes were also identified. 17 m6A regulators were dysregulated and a 15-m6A regulator signature can well distinguish periodontitis and control samples. ALKBH5 and FMR1 are closely related to infiltrating monocyte abundance. ELAVL1 and CBLL1 are significant regulators in immune reaction of TNF_Family_Members_Receptors and Cytokine. The expression of HLA-B and HLA-DOA is affected by ALKBH5 and LRPPRC. 3 distinct RNA modification patterns mediated by 23 m6A regulators were identified. They differ from immunocyte abundance, immune reaction and HLA gene. 1631 m6A phenotype-related genes and 70 m6A-mediated immune genes were identified, and the biological functions of these were explored. Our finding demonstrated the m6A modification plays a crucial role in the diversity and complexity of the immune microenvironment of periodontitis.

Identification of Antitumor Constituents in Toad Venom by Spectrum-Effect Relationship Analysis and Investigation on Its Pharmacologic Mechanism.

(1) Background: Toad venom (Bufonis Venenum, known as 'Chansu' in Chinese), the secretion of the ear-side gland and skin gland of Bufo gargarizans cantor or Duttaphrynus melanostictus Schneider, has been utilized to treat several diseases in China for thousands of years. However, due to the chemical variability of the components, systematic chemical composition and the key pharmacophores in toad venom have not yet fully understood. Besides, it contains a variety of effective compounds with different physiological activity and chemotypes, mainly including alkaloids, bufogenins, bufotoxins, and so on. The recent pharmacological researches have demonstrated that several bufogenins have remarkable pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects, and anti-tumor effects. Aim of the study: To identify the bioactive compounds and pharmacophores originating from toad venom based on analyzing spectrum-effect relationship by chemometrics and to explore the anti-cancer mechanism primarily. (2) Materials and methods: Fingerprint of the 21 batches of samples was established using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). The anti-tumor activity of extracts were determined by in-vitro assays. Chemometric analysis was used to establish the spectrum-effect model and screen for active ingredients. Pharmacodynamic tests for the screened active compound monomers were conducted with in-vitro assays. Further anti-tumor mechanisms were investigated using western blot and flow cytometry. (3) Results: The established spectrum-effect model has satisfactory fitting effect and predicting accuracy. The inhibitory effect of major screened compounds on lung carcinoma cells A549 were validated in vitro, demonstrating that arenobufagin, telocinobufogenin, and cinobufotalin had significant anti-tumor effects. Through further investigation of the mechanism by western blotting and flow cytometry, we elucidated that arenobufagin induces apoptosis in A549 cells with the enhanced expression of cleaved PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase). These results may provide valuable information for further structural modification of bufadienolides to treat lung cancer and a method for discovery of anti-tumor active compounds. Conclusions: Our research offers a more scientific method for screening the principal ingredients dominating the pharmacodynamic function. These screened compounds (arenobufagin, etc.) were proven to induce apoptosis by overactivation of the PARP-pathway, which may be utilized to make BRCA (breast cancer susceptibility gene) mutant cancer cells more vulnerable to DNA damaging agents and kill them.

AMPK Alters Detrusor Contractility During Emptying in Normal Bladder and Hypertrophied Bladder with Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction via CaMKKß.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been implicated in contractility changes in bladders with partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO), but the role of AMPK in the contractile response of normal bladder remains unclear. We investigated the phosphorylation of AMPKα and expression of the involved upstream AMPK kinases (AMPKKs) in a model of bladders with PBOO and sought to determine whether the pharmacological inhibition of these two factors affected detrusor contractility in normal bladders, using female Sprague-Dawley rats. Cystometry and Western blot analysis were performed in rats that were subjected to PBOO induction or a sham operation. Cystometry was performed in normal rats that received selective inhibitors of AMPKα and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKKß) (compound C and STO-609, respectively) at doses determined in the experiments. In the PBOO bladders, bladder weight and micturition pressure (MP) were higher and AMPKα phosphorylation (T172) and CaMKKß expression was significantly reduced. Compound C and STO-609 increased MP. The increased contractile response in bladders with PBOO-induced hypertrophy was related to decreased CaMKKß/AMPK signaling activity, and the pharmacological inhibition of this pathway in normal bladders increased detrusor contractility, implying a role of CaMKKß/AMPK signaling in the bladder in the regulation of detrusor contractility.

Quantitative analysis of multicomponents by a single marker and quality evaluation of Venenum Bufonis from different geographical origins.

Bufadienolides are the main bioactive components of Venenum Bufonis (VB) and have been widely used to treat different types of human cancers for decades. The bufadienolide content in VB varies significantly in materials from different geographical origins. In this work, a new strategy for the quality assessment of VB was developed through quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS). Cinobufagin was selected as the internal reference substance; seven bufadienolides were separated and simultaneously determined based on relative correction factors. The correlation coefficient value (r ≥ 0.9936) between QAMS and the normal external standard method proved the consistency of the two methods. According to the outcomes of 30 batches of VB samples, the contents of the seven bufadienolides were used for further chemometric analysis. All of the samples of VB from various geographical origins were divided into three categories based on hierarchical cluster analysis and radar plot, which indicated the crucial influence of geographical origins on VB. This study showed that QAMS combined with chemometristry could be used to comprehensively evaluate and effectively control the quality of VB from different geographical origins.

[Changes in circulating microparticles in mice with ventilator-induced lung injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in serum level of microparticles (EMPs) in mice with ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), and explore its significance in VILI. METHODS: Forty-eight grade SPF male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups, with 24 mice in each group: the mice in mechanical ventilation (MV) group were given high tidal volume (VT 30 mL/kg) MV for 4 hours after tracheal intubation, and those in spontaneous breathing group were spontaneously breathed for 4 hours. The apical blood of 12 mice in each group were collected, and serum levels of interleukins (IL-1ß, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum EMPs levels were determined by flow cytometer. The correlations between EMPs and IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were analyzed by linear regression analysis. The lung tissues of other 12 mice in each group were harvested, and wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio was assessed. After hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the morphological changes in lung tissue were observed under light microscope. After double staining of uranium acetate and lead citrate, the ultrastructural changes in lung tissue were observed with electron microscope. RESULTS: Compared with spontaneous breathing group, the levels of lung W/D ratio in MV group was significantly increased (5.47±0.14 vs. 4.34±0.11), the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and EMPs were also significantly increased [IL-1ß (ng/L): 42.4±4.4 vs. 7.7±3.6, IL-6 (ng/L): 1 239.5±66.3 vs. 21.7±4.6, TNF-α (ng/L): 237.6±25.8 vs. 37.1±19.1, EMPs (cells/µL): 28.6±1.8 vs. 5.9±1.8, all P < 0.01]. It was shown by correlation analysis that EMPs were positively related with IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α (r value was 0.968, 0.932, 0.945, respectively, all P = 0.000). It was shown by fitting linear regression analysis that when EMPs increased by 1 cell/µL, IL-1ß increased by 2.4 ng/L [95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.9-2.8, P < 0.001], IL-6 increased by 34.5 ng/L (95%CI = 25.1-44.0, P < 0.001), and TNF-α increased by 13.6 ng/L (95%CI = 10.3-16.9,P < 0.001). It was shown by light microscope that the structure of lung tissue and alveolar of mice in spontaneous breathing group appeared normal, while the shrinks of alveolar and disappearance of alveolar architecture were found in MV group. It was shown by electron microscopy that alveolar wall edema and thickening and broken alveolar septa were found in MV group, by contrast, the structure of alveolar was normal in spontaneous breathing group. CONCLUSIONS: 30 mL/kg VT ventilation for 4 hours could induce VILI with increase in EMPs, suggesting EMPs closely related to VILI, and EMPs level may be putative biomarker of VILI.

Direct Organization of Morphology-Controllable Mesoporous SnO2 Using Amphiphilic Graft Copolymer for Gas-Sensing Applications.

A simple and flexible strategy for controlled synthesis of mesoporous metal oxide films using an amphiphilic graft copolymer as sacrificial template is presented and the effectiveness of this approach for gas-sensing applications is reported. The amphiphilic graft copolymer poly(vinyl chloride)-g-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM) is used as a sacrificial template for the direct synthesis of mesoporous SnO2. The graft copolymer self-assembly is shown to enable good control over the morphology of the resulting SnO2 layer. Using this approach, mesoporous SnO2 based sensors with varied porosity are fabricated in situ on a microheater platform. This method reduces the interfacial contact resistance between the chemically sensitive materials and the microheater, while a simple fabrication process is provided. The sensors show significantly different gas-sensing performances depending on the SnO2 porosity, with the highly mesoporous SnO2 sensor exhibiting high sensitivity, low detection limit, and fast response and recovery toward hydrogen gas. This printable solution-based method can be used reproducibly to fabricate a variety of mesoporous metal oxide layers with tunable morphologies on various substrates for high-performance applications.

In Situ Localized Growth of Ordered Metal Oxide Hollow Sphere Array on Microheater Platform for Sensitive, Ultra-Fast Gas Sensing.

A simple and versatile strategy is presented for the localized on-chip synthesis of an ordered metal oxide hollow sphere array directly on a low power microheater platform to form a closely integrated miniaturized gas sensor. Selective microheater surface modification through fluorinated monolayer self-assembly and its subsequent microheater-induced thermal decomposition enables the position-controlled deposition of an ordered two-dimensional colloidal sphere array, which serves as a sacrificial template for metal oxide growth via homogeneous chemical precipitation; this strategy ensures control in both the morphology and placement of the sensing material on only the active heated area of the microheater platform, providing a major advantage over other methods of presynthesized nanomaterial integration via suspension coating or printing. A fabricated tin oxide hollow sphere-based sensor shows high sensitivity (6.5 ppb detection limit) and selectivity toward formaldehyde, and extremely fast response (1.8 s) and recovery (5.4 s) times. This flexible and scalable method can be used to fabricate high performance miniaturized gas sensors with a variety of hollow nanostructured metal oxides for a range of applications, including combining multiple metal oxides for superior sensitivity and tunable selectivity.

The effect of capsaicin on expression patterns of CGRP in trigeminal ganglion and trigeminal nucleus caudalis following experimental tooth movement in rats

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the effect of capsaicin on expression patterns of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) following experimental tooth movement. Material and Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study and divided into small-dose capsaicin+force group, large-dose capsaicin+force group, saline+force group, and no force group. Closed coil springs were used to mimic orthodontic forces in all groups except for the no force group, in which springs were inactivated. Capsaicin and saline were injected into periodontal tissues. Rats were euthanized at 0 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d, and 7 d following experimental tooth movement. Then, TG and Vc were obtained for immunohistochemical staining and western blotting against CGRP. Results Immunohistochemical results indicated that CGRP positive neurons were located in the TG, and CGRP immunoreactive fibers were distributed in the Vc. Immunohistochemical semiquantitative analysis and western blotting analysis demonstrated that CGRP expression levels both in TG and Vc were elevated at 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d, and 7 d in the saline + force group. However, both small-dose and large-dose capsaicin could decrease CGRP expression in TG and Vc at 1 d and 3 d following experimental tooth movement, as compared with the saline + force group. Conclusions These results suggest that capsaicin could regulate CGRP expression in TG and Vc following experimental tooth movement in rats.