Characteristics of oral microbiota and oral health in the patients treated with clear aligners: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: In this prospective clinical study, the effect of clear aligners on periodontal health and oral hygiene was examined. As the same time, microbial changes of the aligner tray and subgingival microbiota community were investigated. METHODS: The study recruited fifteen patients, and clinical parameters were recorded at three different time points: before the initiation of aligner treatment (T0), 1 month after treatment onset (T1), and 3 months after treatment onset (T3). Plaque samples were collected from the inner surface of aligners and subgingival sulcus at each of these time points. The microbial composition of the samples was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and changes were evaluated based on the abundance of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). RESULTS: Reduction in plaque index and improvement in periodontal health were observed. In aligner tray plaque samples, the relative abundance of Streptococcus increased significantly, as well as the richness and diversity of microbiota decreased substantially as the duration of treatment time. In subgingival plaque samples, alpha and beta diversity of microbiota did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: During the clear aligner treatment, the patients' periodontium remained in a healthy condition, and clear aligner treatment had no significant impact on the composition of subgingival microbiota. The structure of the aligner tray microbiota altered significantly at both phylum and genus levels and attracted a unique and less diverse microbiota community. CLABSINABSICAL RELEVANCE: Clear aligner treatment has no significant impact on periodontal health and subgingival microbiota composition of patients.

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Multifunctional NR/MXene/CNTs Composite Films with Exceptional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performances and Excellent Mechanical Properties.

With the rapid advance of electronics, the light, flexible, and multifunctional composite films with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness and excellent thermal management are highly desirable for next-generation portable and wearable electronic devices. Herein, a series of flexible and ultrathin natural rubber/MXene/carbon nanotubes (NR/MXene/CNTs) composite films with sandwich structure are constructed layer by layer through a facile vacuum-assisted filtration method for EMI shielding and Joule heating application. The fabricated NR/MXene/CNTs-50 composite film, with NR/MXene as inner layer and NR/CNTs as out layers, not only has high EMI shielding efficiency, but also has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties at the thickness of only 200 µm. In addition, the superior environmental durability, high electrothermal conversion efficiency, hydrophobicity, and fine performance stability after periodic cyclic bending make the film possess more value in practical application.

Molecular mechanism in trigeminal nerve and treatment methods related to orthodontic pain.

BACKGROUND: Orthodontic treatment is the main treatment approach for malocclusion. Orthodontic pain is an inevitable undesirable adverse reaction during orthodontic treatment. It is reported orthodontic pain has become one of the most common reason that patients withdraw from orthodontic treatment. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanism and finding treatment of orthodontic pain are in urgent need. AIMS: This article aims to sort out the mechanisms and treatments of orthodontic pain, hoping to provide some ideas for future orthodontic pain relief. MATERIALS: Tooth movement will cause local inflammation. Certain inflammatory factors and cytokines stimulating the trigeminal nerve and further generating pain perception, as well as drugs and molecular targeted therapy blocking nerve conduction pathways, will be reviewed in this article. METHOD: We review and summaries current studies related to molecular mechanisms and treatment approaches in orthodontic pain control. RESULTS: Orthodontics pain related influencing factors and molecular mechanisms has been introduced. Commonly used clinical methods in orthodontic pain control has been evaluated. DISCUSSION: With the clarification of more molecular mechanisms, the direction of orthodontic pain treatment will shift to targeted drugs.

The effects of aligner overtreatment on torque control and intrusion of incisors for anterior retraction with clear aligners: A finite-element study.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of aligner overtreatment on torque control and intrusion of incisors for anterior retraction with clear aligners. METHODS: Models including a maxillary dentition without first premolars, maxilla, periodontal ligaments, attachments, and aligners were constructed and imported to finite-element software. Two groups of models were created: (1) without canine attachment and (2) with canine attachment. Overtreatment degrees (0°, 1°, 2°, 3°, 4°, and 5°) were applied for both groups. RESULTS: Clear aligner therapy caused lingual tipping and extrusion of incisors, distal tipping and extrusion of canines, and mesial tipping and intrusion of posterior teeth, which was more significant with canine attachments except for second premolars. Aligner overtreatment produced palatal root torquing and intrusion of incisors, distal tipping of canines, and mesial tipping of second premolars, with more significant in the condition with canine attachments. With canine attachments, 1.2° overtreatment could cause bodily retraction of central incisors. Without overtreatment, stress was concentrated on apical and cervical area of both labial and lingual surfaces of periodontal ligaments. The stress value was higher with canine attachments. However, when overtreatment was added, the stress was distributed more evenly. CONCLUSIONS: Clear aligner therapy produced lingual tipping and extrusion of incisors during anterior retraction. Overtreatment can achieve incisor intrusion and palatal root torquing, and the effect could be augmented by adding attachments on canines, which required more anchorage from posterior teeth. Appropriate overtreatment with placing attachments on canines should be designed to ensure bodily retraction and the least root resorption.

N/OFQ modulates orofacial pain induced by tooth movement through CGRP-dependent pathways.

BACKGROUND: Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) has been revealed to play bidirectional roles in orofacial pain modulation. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a well-known pro-nociceptive molecule that participates in the modulation of orofacial pain. We aimed to determine the effects of N/OFQ on the modulation of orofacial pain and on the release of CGRP. METHODS: Orofacial pain model was established by ligating springs between incisors and molars in rats for the simulation of tooth movement. The expression level of N/OFQ was determined and pain level was scored in response to orofacial pain. Both agonist and antagonist of N/OFQ receptor were administered to examine their effects on pain and the expression of CGRP in trigeminal ganglia (TG). Moreover, gene therapy based on the overexpression of N/OFQ was delivered to validate the modulatory role of N/OFQ on pain and CGRP expression. RESULTS: Tooth movement elicited orofacial pain and an elevation in N/OFQ expression. N/OFQ exacerbated orofacial pain and upregulated CGRP expression in TG, while UFP-101 alleviated pain and downregulated CGRP expression. N/OFQ-based gene therapy was successful in overexpressing N/OFQ in TG, which resulted in pain exacerbation and elevation of CGRP expression in TG. CONCLUSIONS: N/OFQ exacerbated orofacial pain possibly through upregulating CGRP.

The Effects of Static Magnetic Field on Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Mice.

The application of static magnetic field (SMF) has been considered an effective and noninvasive method to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of SMF on orthodontic tooth movement in mice. A total of 105 Balb/c mice (body mass: 25-30 g) were divided into experimental group (SMF + force, 48), control group (force only, 48), and blank group (neither SMF nor force, 9). After the placement of orthodontic appliances, the experimental group was exposed to the SMF environment generated by Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets with an intensity of 20-204 mT. At 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after appliance insertion, eight animals in both experimental and control groups were sacrificed and the left maxillae were dissected to measure the distance of tooth movement, respectively. Meanwhile, the width of periodontal ligament (PDL), length of hyalinized zone, and the number of osteoclasts were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. We finally found that the experimental group demonstrated an enhanced rate and greater cumulative amount of tooth movement than the control group (0.2887 ± 0.0041 mm vs. 0.2114 ± 0.0089 mm, P < 0.05). On Days 7, 14, and 28, the experimental group also displayed a significantly greater width of PDL. Earlier formation and removal of the hyalinized zone, and significantly more osteoclasts were observed in the experimental group as well. The results suggested that SMF may be a promising nonsurgical intervention to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. © 2021 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

An objective system for appraising clear aligner treatment difficulty: clear aligner treatment complexity assessment tool (CAT-CAT).

BACKGROUND: Recent years have witnessed a remarkable evolution of clear aligner technology and clear aligners are becoming more and more versatile in treating orthodontic patients. The aim of this study was to develop an objective evaluation system for assessing clear aligner treatment difficulty. METHODS: A total of 120 eligible patients (100 patients for developing and testing the evaluation system and 20 patients for validating this system) were recruited in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Based on clinical data (dental models, radiographs and photographs), complexity levels of cases were evaluated by two experts and regarded as the gold standard. Difficulty scores were determined through an evaluation system encompassing three domains (dental model analysis, radiographic examinations and clinical examinations). The reliability of the evaluation system was examined through analyzing the agreement between complexity levels and difficulty scores. Moreover, multivariable linear regression test was used to examine the independent association of each variable (e.g. overbite and crowding) with the complexity level. RESULTS: The results revealed that the assessment of treatment difficulty by this objective evaluation system substantially matched the gold standard (R2 = 0.80). The multivariable regression test revealed that complexity level was significantly associated with difficulty score (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.015), tooth extraction (p < 0.001), treatment stage (p < 0.01) and the number of difficult tooth movement (p = 0.005). This objective evaluation system elaborated in this study was viable and reliable in appraising clear-aligner treatment difficulty in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest orthodontists and general practitioners use this objective evaluation system (CAT-CAT) to appraise clear aligner treatment difficulty and to select appropriate clear aligner patients.

A Standardized Preoperative Group Intervention Is Feasible and Acceptable to Orthognathic Surgery Patients.

PURPOSE: Nearly 10% of patients remain dissatisfied after orthognathic surgery, largely because of psychoeducational or psychosocial factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a psychoeducationally based group intervention to improve preoperative preparation of orthognathic surgical patients and their caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The intervention consisted of 2 group sessions, with each session lasting 2 hours. The sessions provided realistic expectations of the surgery, offered teaching strategies for coping with pre- and postoperative symptoms of psychopathology, and highlighted the importance of social support. Feasibility was based on attendance, homework completion, and data collection rates, and acceptability was based on post-treatment participant satisfaction scores on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8) and credibility and expectancy scores on 2 subscales of the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire-Modified (CEQ-M). RESULTS: Twenty-six orthognathic surgical patients were recruited from an outpatient oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic to attend the group-based intervention. Seventy percent of patients who attended at least 1 session completed the 2 sessions, and 64% of those who attended the 2 sessions completed at least 1 homework assignment. The authors successfully collected 84% of the total measures given to patients and their caregivers. The mean satisfaction rating of the patients was 30.12 of 32 (CSQ-8; n = 13; standard deviation [SD], 2.33), the mean credibility rating of the patients and their caregivers was 25.2 of 27 (CEQ-M; n = 20; SD, 1.85), and the mean expectancy rating of the patients and their caregivers was 20.54 of 27 (CEQ-M; n = 20; SD, 4.39). CONCLUSION: The psychoeducationally based group intervention was feasible and acceptable for participants and their caregivers. This article offers suggestions to further improve the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, including optimizing standardization of data collection procedures, decreasing barriers to access, and increasing participant engagement.

Genome-Wide Identification, Evolution and Functional Divergence of MYB Transcription Factors in Chinese White Pear (Pyrus bretschneideri).

The MYB superfamily is large and functionally diverse in plants. To date, MYB family genes have not yet been identified in Chinese white pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), and their functions remain unclear. In this study, we identified 231 genes as candidate MYB genes and divided them into four subfamilies. The R2R3-MYB (PbrMYB) family shared an R2R3 domain with 104 amino acid residues, including five conserved tryptophan residues. The Pbr MYB family was divided into 37 functional subgroups including 33 subgroups which contained both MYB genes of Rosaceae plants and AtMYB genes, and four subgroups which included only Rosaceae MYB genes or AtMYB genes. PbrMYB genes with similar functions clustered into the same subgroup, indicating functional conservation. We also found that whole-genome duplication (WGD) and dispersed duplications played critical roles in the expansion of the MYB family. The 87 Pbr MYB duplicated gene pairs dated back to the two WGD events. Purifying selection was the primary force driving Pbr MYB gene evolution. The 15 gene pairs presented 1-7 codon sites under positive selection. A total of 147 expressed genes were identified from RNA-sequencing data of fruit, and six Pbr MYB members in subgroup C1 were identified as important candidate genes in the regulation of lignin synthesis by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Further correlation analysis revealed that six PbrMYBs were significantly correlated with five structural gene families (F5H, HCT, CCR, POD and C3'H) in the lignin pathway. The phylogenetic, evolution and expression analyses of the MYB gene family in Chinese white pear establish a solid foundation for future comprehensive functional analysis of Pbr MYB genes.

High transparency, degradable and UV-protective poly(lactic acid) composites based on elongational rheology and chain extender assisted melt blending.

Conventional polylactic acid (PLA) melt plasticization and toughening processes are typically achieved at the expense of PLA strength and transparency, which is clearly detrimental to its application in areas such as smart home and food packaging. Herein, an ultraviolet (UV)-protective PLA-based composite (PP6) that simultaneously achieves high strength (63.3 MPa), high plasticity (125.3 %), and enhanced toughness (4.3 kJ/m2) by adding only 6 wt% poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P34HB) under the assist of 1 wt% chain extender was prepared using melt blending technique. Benefiting from the cross-linking effect of the chain extender and the elongational flow during processing, the compatibility between P34HB and PLA, as well as the thermomechanical properties, heat resistance, and biodegradable properties of the composite, have been enhanced significantly. The extremely low melt enthalpy (1.9 J/g) and the low crystallinity PLA phase contribute to an appropriate transparency (78.3 % of glass in 400-1100 nm). The prepared composites display mid- and long-wave UV-protective performance, which is superior to conventional industrial glasses. Through the superior elongational rheology technology, PP6 maintains favorable overall properties even after six thermomechanical cycles. Collectively, the composite fabricated in this work is an attractive candidate for future applications such as smart windows, food packaging, agricultural films, and biomedical applications.

Self-Healable, Self-Adhesive and Degradable MXene-Based Multifunctional Hydrogel for Flexible Epidermal Sensors.

Conductive hydrogels have garnered significant interest in the realm of wearable flexible sensors due to their close resemblance to human tissue, wearability, and precise signal acquisition capabilities. However, the concurrent attainment of an epidermal hydrogel sensor incorporating reliable self-healing capabilities, biodegradability, robust adhesiveness, and the ability to precisely capture subtle electrophysiological signals poses a daunting and intricate challenge. Herein, an innovative MXene-based composite hydrogel (PBM hydrogel) with exceptional self-healing, self-adhesive, and versatile functionality is engineered through the integration of conductive MXene nanosheets into a well-structured poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogel three-dimensional (3D) network, utilizing multiple dynamic cross-linking synergistic repeated freeze-thaw strategy. The hydrogel harnesses the presence of dynamically reversible borax ester bonds and multiple hydrogen bonds between its constituents, endowing it with rapid self-healing efficiency (97.8%) and formidable self-adhesive capability. The assembled PBM hydrogel epidermal sensor possesses a rapid response time (10 ms) and exhibits versatility in detecting diverse external stimuli and human movements such as vocalization, handwriting, joint motion, Morse code signals, and even monitoring infusion status. Additionally, the PBM hydrogel sensor offers the added advantage of swift degradation in phosphate-buffered saline solution (within a span of 56 days) and H2O2 solution (in just 53 min), maintaining an eco-friendly profile devoid of any environmental pollution. This work lays the groundwork for possible uses in electronic skins, interactions between humans and machines, and the monitoring of individualized healthcare.

Molecular Evolutionary Dynamics of Coxsackievirus A6 Causing Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease From 2021 to 2023 in China: Genomic Epidemiology Study.

Background: Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a global public health concern, notably within the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, the primary pathogen causing HFMD outbreaks across numerous countries, including China, is coxsackievirus (CV) A6, one of the most prevalent enteroviruses in the world. It is a new variant that has undergone genetic recombination and evolution, which might not only induce modifications in the clinical manifestations of HFMD but also heighten its pathogenicity because of nucleotide mutation accumulation. Objective: The study assessed the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD in China and characterized the molecular epidemiology of the major pathogen (CV-A6) causing HFMD. We attempted to establish the association between disease progression and viral genetic evolution through a molecular epidemiological study. Methods: Surveillance data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023 were used to analyze the epidemiological seasons and peaks of HFMD in Henan, China, and capture the results of HFMD pathogen typing. We analyzed the evolutionary characteristics of all full-length CV-A6 sequences in the NCBI database and the isolated sequences in Henan. To characterize the molecular evolution of CV-A6, time-scaled tree and historical population dynamics regarding CV-A6 sequences were estimated. Additionally, we analyzed the isolated strains for mutated or missing amino acid sites compared to the prototype CV-A6 strain. Results: The 2021-2023 epidemic seasons for HFMD in Henan usually lasted from June to August, with peaks around June and July. The monthly case reporting rate during the peak period ranged from 20.7% (4854/23,440) to 35% (12,135/34,706) of the total annual number of cases. Analysis of the pathogen composition of 2850 laboratory-confirmed cases identified 8 enterovirus serotypes, among which CV-A6 accounted for the highest proportion (652/2850, 22.88%). CV-A6 emerged as the major pathogen for HFMD in 2022 (203/732, 27.73%) and 2023 (262/708, 37.01%). We analyzed all CV-A6 full-length sequences in the NCBI database and the evolutionary features of viruses isolated in Henan. In China, the D3 subtype gradually appeared from 2011, and by 2019, all CV-A6 virus strains belonged to the D3 subtype. The VP1 sequences analyzed in Henan showed that its subtypes were consistent with the national subtypes. Furthermore, we analyzed the molecular evolutionary features of CV-A6 using Bayesian phylogeny and found that the most recent common ancestor of CV-A6 D3 dates back to 2006 in China, earlier than the 2011 HFMD outbreak. Moreover, the strains isolated in 2023 had mutations at several amino acid sites compared to the original strain. Conclusions: The CV-A6 virus may have been introduced and circulating covertly within China prior to the large-scale HFMD outbreak. Our laboratory testing data confirmed the fluctuation and periodic patterns of CV-A6 prevalence. Our study provides valuable insights into understanding the evolutionary dynamics of CV-A6.

Impact of Clear Aligners on Oral Health and Oral Microbiome During Orthodontic Treatment.

The demand for clear aligners has risen over the past decade because they satisfy patients' desire for less noticeable and more comfortable orthodontic appliances. Because clear aligners are increasingly used in orthodontics, there is a big push to learn more about the physiologic and microbial changes that occur during treatment. The present work highlighted further links between clear aligners and changes in oral health and the oral microbiome and provided plaque control methods for clear aligner trays. Existing literature revealed that clear aligners have no significant influence on the structure of the oral microbiome during orthodontic therapy. Clear aligner treatment demonstrated promising results in terms of controlling plaque index, gingival health, and the prevalence of white spot lesions. Nevertheless, grooves, ridges, microcracks, and abrasions on the aligner surface would provide a prime environment for bacterial adherence and the development of plaque biofilms. A combination of mechanical and chemical methods seems to be a successful approach for removing plaque biofilm from aligners whilst also preventing pigment adsorption.

Bioinspired Micro/Nanostructured Polyethylene/Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/Graphene Films with Robust Superhydrophobicity and Excellent Antireflectivity for Solar-Thermal Power Generation, Thermal Management, and Afterheat Utilization.

The rational utilization and circulation of multiple energy sources is an effective way to address the crises of energy shortages and environmental pollution. Herein, microextrusion compression molding, an industrialized polymer molding technology that combines melt blending and compression molding, is proposed for the mass production of a bioinspired micro/nanostructured polyethylene/poly(ethylene oxide)/graphene (MN-PPG) film. The MN-PPG film exhibits robust shape stability, high storage energy density, and excellent thermal management capability owing to the cocontinuous network formed by poly(ethylene oxide) and the polyethylene matrix. The MN-PPG film has sufficient photothermal property due to the uniformly dispersed graphene nanosheets and the bioinspired surface micro/nanostructures. Interestingly, the MN-PPG film surface exhibits durable superhydrophobicity, acid/alkali resistance, and active deicing performance. Further, a multifunctional energy harvesting and circulation system was established by integrating the MN-PPG film, an LED chip, and a thermoelectric module. The hybrid system produced an open-circuit voltage of 315.4 mV and power output of 2.5 W m-2 under 3 sun irradiation. Furthermore, the afterheat generated by the LED chips at night can be converted into electricity through thermoelectric conversion. The proposed method enables the large-scale fabrication of multifunctional phase change composites for energy harvesting in harsh environments.

Bismuth oxybromide/bismuth oxyiodide nanojunctions decorated on flexible carbon fiber cloth as easily recyclable photocatalyst for removing various pollutants from wastewater.

Various semiconductor powders (such as bismuth oxybromide/bismuth oxyiodide (BiOBr/BiOI) nanojunctions) can photodegrade wastewater efficiently, but their practical application is limited by poor recovery performance. To address the problem, we report the construction of BiOBr/BiOI nanojunctions on flexible carbon fiber cloth (CFC) substrate as an easily recycled photocatalyst by the dipping-solvothermal-dipping-solvothermal four-step method. CFC/BiOBr/BiOI is composed of CFC substate and two layers of nanosheets, while BiOBr nanosheets (thickness: 10-30 nm, diameter: 200-400 nm) were grown in the inner layer and BiOI nanosheets (thickness: 50-80 nm, diameter:300-600 nm) were grown in the outer layer. CFC/BiOBr/BiOI (4 × 4 cm2) can effectively photodegrade 97.7% acid orange 7 (AO7), 91.3% levofloxacin (LVFX) and 97.8% tetracycline (TC) within 120 min under the illumination of visible-light, better than CFC/BiOBr (73.2% AO7, 71.6% LVFX and 81.6% TC). Furthermore, superoxide radical (•O2-) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) are the main active substances during removing LVFX by CFC/BiOBr/BiOI. Besides, CFC/BiOBr/BiOI can efficiently reduce 93.5% chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of acrylic resin production wastewater (ARPW) under visible-light illumination for 3 h, better than CFC/BiOBr (36.6% COD). Therefore, CFC/BiOBr/BiOI has broad application prospects in purifying wastewater as a new type of easily recycled photocatalyst.

Sequential thermal ablation in combination with sclerotherapy using lauromacrogol as a successful translative therapy for an unresectable huge biliary cystadenocarcinoma: The first experience assisted by contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Biliary cystadenocarcinoma (BCAC) is an extremely rare intrahepatic cystic tumor. Patients usually present with nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and abdominal mass. This tumor occurs most commonly in the left hemiliver and is thought to mainly develop from a benign biliary cystadenoma (BCA). At present, the disease is mainly diagnosed by ultrasound, CT, MR, and other imaging methods, and the main treatment is radical surgical resection. We reported a 75-year-old female with an unresectable huge BCAC (i.e., 161×145×122 mm in three orthogonal directions) and poor general condition (40 in Karnofsky Performance Status, KPS) who received sequential thermal ablation (i.e., cryoablation and microwave ablation) in combination with sclerotherapy using lauromacrogol. The diagnosis of intrahepatic BCAC was confirmed pathologically. Preablation grayscale US showed the BCAC with a clear boundary, regular shape, and cystic-solid mixed echogenicity, which appeared as a huge multilocular cystic lesions with thick internal sepatations. Preablation contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) showed honeycomb-like hyper-enhancement of the thick internal sepatations and cystic wall in the arterial and portal phase, and sustained enhancement of the thick internal sepatations and cystic wall in the late phase. 6-month postablation CEUS showed non-enhancement in most parts of the lesion in the arterial phase and 6-month postablation MRI showed the volume reduction ratio (VRR) was about 70%. The abdominal pain and abdominal distension were relieved remarkably, and her quality of life was greatly improved (70 in KPS). In conclusion, sequential thermal ablation in combination with sclerotherapy provides a successful translative therapy for this unresectable huge BCAC with a poor general condition, which makes subsequent curative surgery or ablation possible.

Graphdiyne applications in sensors: A bibliometric analysis and literature review.

Graphdiyne is a two-dimensional carbon nanomaterial synthesized artificially in 2010. Its outstanding performance is considered to have great potential in different fields. This article summarizes the work of graphdiyne in the sensing field by literature summary and bibliometrics analysis. The development of graphdiyne in the field of sensing has gone through a process from theoretical calculation to experimental verification. Especially in the last three years, there has been very rapid development. The theoretical calculations suggest that graphdiyne is an excellent gas sensing material, but there is little experimental evidence in this direction. On the contrary, graphdiyne has been widely reported in the field of electrochemical sensing. At the same time, graphdiyne can also be used as a molecular switch for DNA sequencing. Fluorescent sensors based on graphdiyne have also been reported. In general, the potential of graphdiyne in sensing still needs to be explored. Current research results do not show that graphdiyne has irreplaceable advantages in sensing. The bibliometric analysis used in this review also provides cooperative network analysis and co-citation analysis on this topic. This provides a reference for the audience wishing to undertake research on the topic. In addition, according to the analysis, we also listed the direction that which this field deserves attention in the future.

Elucidation of the conformational dynamics and assembly of Argonaute-RNA complexes by distinct yet coordinated actions of the supplementary microRNA.

Argonaute (AGO) proteins, the core of RNA-induced silencing complex, are guided by microRNAs (miRNAs) to recognize target RNA for repression. The miRNA-target RNA recognition forms initially through pairing at the seed region while the additional supplementary pairing can enhance target recognition and compensate for seed mismatch. The extension of miRNA lengths can strengthen the target affinity when pairing both in the seed and supplementary regions. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of the supplementary pairing on the conformational dynamics and the assembly of AGO-RNA complex remains poorly understood. To address this, we performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of AGO-RNA complexes with different pairing patterns and miRNA lengths. The results reveal that the additional supplementary pairing can not only strengthen the interaction between miRNA and target RNA, but also induce the increased plasticity of the PAZ domain and enhance the domain connectivity among the PAZ, PIWI, N domains of the AGO protein. The strong community network between these domains tightens the mouth of the supplementary chamber of AGO protein, which prevents the escape of target RNA from the complex and shields it from solvent water attack. Importantly, the inner stronger matching pairs between the miRNA and target RNA can compensate for weaker mismatches at the edge of supplementary region. These findings provide guidance for the design of miRNA mimics and anti-miRNAs for both clinical and experimental use and open the way for further engineering of AGO proteins as a new tool in the field of gene regulation.