Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with periodontitis: the mediating role of sex hormones.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and periodontitis, and further explore the possible mediating role of sex hormones in this association. METHODS: We extracted data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2014. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were performed to investigate the association between serum levels of seven PFASs and periodontitis. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was conducted to assess the joint effect of PFASs in mixtures. Mediation analyses were used to explore the potential mediating role of sex hormones. RESULTS: Participants with periodontitis had higher concentrations of serum perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) than those without periodontitis (both P < 0.05). In fully adjusted models, high serum concentrations of PFOS and PFNA were positively associated with periodontitis (tertile 3 vs. tertile 1: prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.19 for PFOS, 95% CI: 1.01-1.39; PR = 1.17 for PFNA, 95% CI: 1.02-1.34). The results from the BKMR models consistently showed a positive association between PFAS mixtures and periodontitis. Of note, testosterone and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol significantly mediated the relationship between high level of PFOS and periodontitis, accounting for 16.5% and 31.7% of the total effect, respectively. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results when using periodontal clinical indices (mean loss of attachment, mean periodontal probing depth, and the number of teeth) as dependent variables. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence to support a positive association between certain PFASs and periodontitis, which might be partially mediated by sex hormones.

Concentrated growth factor combined with iRoot BP Plus promotes inflamed pulp repair: an in vitro and in vivo study.

BACKGROUND: Platelet concentrates combined with calcium silicate cements may promote reparative dentin formation. However, few studies have reported their effect on dental pulp inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of concentrated growth factor (CGF) combined with iRoot BP Plus on inflammatory human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) in vitro and inflamed pulp in rats in vivo. METHODS: The proliferation of LPS-stimulated hDPSCs treated with 50% CGF with/without 25% iRoot BP Plus was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 on days 1, 4 and 7. The expression of genes associated with inflammation on day 1 and differentiation on day 14 was analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The exposed pulp of rat maxillary molars was injected with 10 mg/mL LPS and directly capped with CGF membrane with/without iRoot BP Plus extract for 1, 7 and 28 days. The teeth were subjected to histologic analyses and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The proliferation rates of the inflammatory hDPSCs after the combination treatment were significantly higher than those after the other treatments on days 4 and 7 (P < 0.05). IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were increased in inflammatory hDPSCs but decreased after treatment with CGF combined with iRoot BP Plus extract, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 showed the opposite expression patterns. Expression of the odontogenesis-related genes OCN, Runx2, and ALP was dramatically enhanced by combined treatment with CGF and iRoot BP Plus extract. In rat pulp, the average inflammation scores of the CGF and CGF-iRoot BP Plus groups significantly decreased in comparison with those of the LPS group (P < 0.05), and the CGF-iRoot BP Plus group had more reparative dentin than the CGF and BP groups. Immunohistochemical staining showed fewer M1 macrophages on day 1 and more M2 macrophages on day 7 in the CGF-iRoot BP Plus group than in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of CGF and iRoot BP Plus showed a synergistic effect on anti-inflammatory potential and promoted greater pulp healing than CGF or iRoot BP Plus alone.

Probing Molecular Interactions of Antibody Drugs, Silicone Oil, and Surfactant at Buried Interfaces In Situ.

Antibody drugs have been rapidly developed to cure many diseases including COVID-19 infection. Silicone oil is commonly used as a lubricant coating material for devices used in the pharmaceutical industry to store and administer antibody drug formulations. However, the interaction between silicone oil and antibody molecules could lead to the adsorption, denaturation, and aggregation of antibody molecules, impacting the efficacy of antibody drugs. Here, we studied the molecular interactions between antibodies and silicone oil in situ in real time. The effect of the surfactant on such interactions was also investigated. Specifically, the adsorption dynamics of a bispecific antibody (BsAb) onto a silicone oil surface without and with different concentrations of the surfactant PS80 in antibody solutions were monitored. Also the possible lowest effective PS80 concentrations that can prevent the adsorption of BsAb as well as a monoclonal antibody (mAb) onto silicone oil were measured. It was found that different concentrations of PS80 are required for preventing the adsorption of different antibodies. Both BsAB and mAB denature on silicone oil without a surfactant. However, for a low surfactant concentration in the solution, although the surfactant could not completely prevent the antibody from adsorption, it could maintain the native structures of adsorbed BsAb and mAb antibodies on silicone oil. This is important knowledge, showing that to prevent antibody aggregation on silicone oil it is not necessary to add surfactant to a concentration high enough to completely minimize protein adsorption.

Facile Synthesis of Highly Dispersed and Well-Alloyed Bimetallic Nanoparticles on Oxide Support.

Supported alloy catalysts play a pivotal role in many heterogeneous catalytic processes of socioeconomic and environmental importance. But the controlled synthesis of supported alloy nanoparticles with consistent composition and tight size distribution remains a challenging issue. Herein, a simple yet effective method for preparation of highly dispersed, homogeneously alloyed bimetallic nanoparticles on oxide supports is reported. This method is based on solid solution of metal cations in parent oxide and strong electrostatic adsorption of a secondary metal species onto the oxide surface. In the reductive annealing process, hydrogen spillover occurs from the surface metal with a higher reduction potential to the solute metal in solid solution, leading to metal exsolution and homogenous alloying of the metals on the oxide surface. The ceria-supported Ni-Pt alloy is chosen as a model catalyst and hydrazine monohydrate decomposition is chosen as a probe reaction to demonstrate this method, and particularly its advantages over the conventional impregnation and galvanic replacement methods. A systematic application of this method using different oxides and base-noble metal pairs further elucidates its applicability and generality.

A composite oral hygiene score and the risk of oral cancer and its subtypes: a large-scale propensity score-based study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between oral hygiene and the risk of oral cancer and its subtypes after controlling the effects of several confounding factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A large-scale case-control study was conducted from January 2010 to August 2019, recruiting a total of 1,288 oral cancer cases with newly diagnosed and 4,234 healthy controls. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were utilized to minimize confounding effects. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the effects of oral hygiene indicators on oral cancer. RESULTS: A composite oral hygiene score was developed based on five indicators selected based on PSM and IPTW analysis (including tooth loss, dentures wearing, the frequency of tooth brushing, regular dental visits, and recurrent dental ulcer). Participants with a higher score, compared with their lower counterparts, showed a 49% increased risk (the odds ratio (OR) was 1.49 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26-1.75). A similar association pattern was found following IPTW analyses (OR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.22-1.42). Of note, the adverse effects of poor oral hygiene were more evident among the sites of gingival and buccal (PSM analysis: 2.03-fold and 2.68-fold increased risk; IPTW analysis: 1.57-fold and 2.07-fold increased risk, respectively). Additionally, a greater positive association was observed between poor oral hygiene and oral squamous cell carcinoma, compared with other pathological types. CONCLUSION: This study establishes a composite oral hygiene score and provides supportive evidence of poor oral hygiene associated with a higher risk of oral cancer, particularly in the gingival and buccal mucosa sites and in the squamous cell carcinoma. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The data highlights the importance of improving poor oral hygiene habits, which has public health implications for the prevention of oral cancer.

Detachable Liposomes Combined Immunochemotherapy for Enhanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment through Reprogramming of Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease with a high recurrence rate and poor outcomes in clinic. In this study, inspired by the enriched innate immune cell type tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in TNBC, we proposed a matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP2) responsive integrated immunochemotherapeutic strategy to deliver paclitaxel (PTX) and anti-CD47 (aCD47) by detachable immune liposomes (ILips). In the TNBC microenvironment, the "two-in-one" ILips facilitated MMP2-responsive release of aCD47 to efficiently polarize M2 macrophages toward the M1 phenotype to enhance phagocytosis against tumor cells and activate the systemic T cell immune response. Together with the immune effect, the detached PTX-loaded liposomes were internalized in MDA-MB-231 cells to synergistically inhibit tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. In the TNBC-bearing mouse model, PTX-loaded ILips demonstrated superior antitumor efficacy against TNBC and inhibited tumor recurrence. Our integrated strategy represents a promising approach to synchronously enhance immune response and tumor-killing effects, improving the therapeutic efficacy against TNBC.

The effect of formal statistical courses attitudes on learning outcomes in a cohort of undergraduate dental students.

INTRODUCTION: Whilst statistical knowledge is essential for dental students' academic or professional careers, only a few studies have measured the attitudes of these students towards statistics courses. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of a cohort of dental students towards a formal statistical course and explore the factors that are potentially related to these attitudes. METHODS: A survey was performed amongst dental students of 2017 entry at Fujian Medical University, China. The questionnaire covers three aspects: demographic characteristics, educational background and attitudes towards formal statistics courses. RESULTS: A total of 103 dental students enrolled for the survey, and the response rate was 100.0%. 44.7% of dental students had positive attitudes towards formal statistics courses with an overall average of 25.7 (SD = 2.2, out of 30). Students' computer skills, expectations of course achievement, attention in class and learning atmosphere of the class were significantly associated with the attitudes towards formal statistics courses. Moreover, students with positive attitudes experienced a greater improvement in the statistical cognition and application ability of statistical methods after the course than those with negative/neutral attitudes. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between students' attitudes and achievement in the examination. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that attitudes are critical to the learning effectiveness in formal statistics courses amongst undergraduate dental students. All the educators involved should monitor the students' attitudes in the teaching process and make effective interventions to improve students' attitudes towards formal statistics courses.

Comparative cellular, physiological and transcriptome analyses reveal the potential easy dehulling mechanism of rice-tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum Tararicum).

BACKGROUND: Tartary buckwheat has gained popularity in the food marketplace due to its abundant nutrients and high bioactive flavonoid content. However, its difficult dehulling process has severely restricted its food processing industry development. Rice-tartary buckwheat, a rare local variety, is very easily dehulled, but the cellular, physiological and molecular mechanisms responsible for this easy dehulling remains largely unclear. RESULTS: In this study, we integrated analyses of the comparative cellular, physiological, transcriptome, and gene coexpression network to insight into the reason that rice-tartary buckwheat is easy to dehull. Compared to normal tartary buckwheat, rice-tartary buckwheat has significantly brittler and thinner hull, and thinner cell wall in hull sclerenchyma cells. Furthermore, the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents of rice-tartary buckwheat hull were significantly lower than those in all or part of the tested normal tartary buckwheat cultivars, respectively, and the significant difference in cellulose and hemicellulose contents between rice-tartary buckwheat and normal tartary buckwheat began at 10 days after pollination (DAP). Comparative transcriptome analysis identified a total of 9250 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the rice- and normal-tartary buckwheat hulls at four different development stages. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) of all DEGs identified a key module associated with the formation of the hull difference between rice- and normal-tartary buckwheat. In this specific module, many secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis regulatory and structural genes, which involved in cellulose and hemicellulose biosynthesis, were identified as hub genes and displayed coexpression. These identified hub genes of SCW biosynthesis were significantly lower expression in rice-tartary buckwheat hull than in normal tartary buckwheat at the early hull development stages. Among them, the expression of 17 SCW biosynthesis relative-hub genes were further verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the lower expression of SCW biosynthesis regulatory and structural genes in rice-tartary buckwheat hull in the early development stages contributes to its easy dehulling by reducing the content of cell wall chemical components, which further effects the cell wall thickness of hull sclerenchyma cells, and hull thickness and mechanical strength.

Dielectric Elastomer Artificial Muscle: Materials Innovations and Device Explorations.

Creating an artificial muscle has been one of the grand challenges of science and engineering. The invention of such a flexible, versatile, and power efficient actuator opens the gate for a new generation of lightweight, highly efficient, and multifunctional robotics. Many current artificial muscle technologies enable low-power mobile actuators, robots that mimic efficient and natural forms of motion, autonomous robots and sensors, and lightweight wearable technologies. They also have serious applications in biomedical devices, where biocompatibility, from a chemical, flexibility, and force perspective, is crucial. It remains unknown which material will ultimately form the ideal artificial muscle. Anything from shape memory alloys (SMAs) to pneumatics to electroactive polymers (EAPs) realize core aspects of the artificial muscle goal. Among them, EAPs most resemble their biological counterparts, and they encompass both ion-infusion and electric field based actuation mechanisms. Some of the most investigated EAPs are dielectric elastomers (DEs), whose large strains, fracture toughness, and power-to-weight ratios compare favorably with natural muscle. Although dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) only entered the artificial muscle conversation in the last 20 years, significant technological progress has reflected their high potential. Research has focused on solving the core issues surrounding DEAs, which includes improving their operational ranges with regard to temperature and voltage, adding new functionality to the materials, and improving the reliability of the components on which they depend. Mechanisms designed to utilize their large-strain actuation and low stiffness has also attracted attention. This Account covers important research by our group and others in various avenues such as decreasing viscoelastic losses in typical DE materials, increasing their dielectric constant, and countering electromechanical instability. We also discuss variable stiffness polymers, specifically bistable electroactive polymers, which, notably, open DEAs to structural applications typically unattainable for soft-actuator technologies. Furthermore, we explore advancements related to highly compliant and transparent electrodes, a crucial component of DEAs capable of achieving high actuation strain. We then cover noteworthy applications, including several novel devices for soft robotics and microfluidics, and how those applications fit within other major developments in the field. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the remaining challenges facing current DEA technology and speculate on research directions that may further advance DE-based artificial muscles as a whole. This Account serves as a stepping stone into the field of EAPs, which, through the work of researchers worldwide, are positioned as a potential challenger to conventional actuator technologies.

Triton X-100 improves co-production of ß-1,3-D-glucan and pullulan by Aureobasidium pullulans.

The effects of several surfactants on the biosynthesis of ß-1,3-D-glucan (ß-glucan) and pullulan by Aureobasidium pullulans CCTCC M 2012259 were investigated, and Triton X-100 was found to decrease biomass formation but increase ß-glucan and pullulan production. The addition of 5 g/L Triton X-100 to the fermentation medium and bioconversion broth significantly increased ß-glucan production by 76.6% and 69.9%, respectively, when compared to the control without surfactant addition. To reveal the physiological mechanism underlying the effect of Triton X-100 on polysaccharides production, the cell morphology and viability, membrane permeability, key enzyme activities, and intracellular levels of UDPG, NADH, and ATP were determined. The results indicated that Triton X-100 increased the activities of key enzymes involved in ß-glucan and pullulan biosynthesis, improved intracellular UDPG and energy supply, and accelerated the transportation rate of precursors across the cell membrane, all of which contributed to the enhanced production of ß-glucan and pullulan. Moreover, a two-stage culture strategy with combined processes of batch fermentation and bioconversion was applied, and co-production of ß-glucan and pullulan in the presence of 5 g/L Triton X-100 additions was further improved. The present study not only provides insights into the effect of surfactant on ß-glucan and pullulan production but also presents a feasible approach for efficient production of analogue exopolysaccharides. KEY POINTS: • Triton X-100 increased ß-glucan and pullulan production under either batch fermentation or bioconversion. • Triton X-100 increased the permeability of cell membrane and accelerated the transportation rate of precursors across cell membrane. • Activities of key enzymes involved in ß-glucan and pullulan biosynthesis were increased in the presence of Triton X-100. • Intracellular UDPG levels and energy supply were improved by Triton X-100 addition.

Orbital Apex Syndrome Causing Blindness Secondary to a Vertical Root Fracture of a Tooth.

The authors report a case of a 35-year-old man who presented with left maxillary toothache associated with left sided facial pain and a rapidly progressive loss of vision in the left eye. Clinical and radiological assessments revealed it to be an odontogenic orbital apex syndrome secondary to a vertical root fracture of a tooth. The infection was treated and controlled, postoperative follow-up showed no recurrent inflammation and the patient recovered well. However, the vision was lost permanently. Odontogenic orbital apex syndrome is a rare, aggressive disease. Once the infection spreads, it progresses rapidly, becoming a dangerous condition. To achieve better prognosis and improve survival rates, dental practitioners and oral surgeons should be aware of this distinct presentation and should have a high index of suspicion for the complication of tooth-related problems however minor they may seem.

Orthodontic compressive force modulates Ets-1/Tks5 pathway to promote the formation of circumferential invadopodia and the fusion of osteoclast precursors.

During orthodontic treatment a mechanical force is applied to the teeth. However, it remains unclear how mechanical force promotes the maturation and fusion of osteoclast precursors into osteoclasts. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism by which orthodontic compressive force promotes osteoclast maturation. We used a RAW264.7 macrophage-like cell line derived from Balb/c mice as the experimental model. We found that compressive force promoted the maturation of osteoclasts based on tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and the formation of invadopodia based on immunstaining of Tks5 and F-actin. Moreover, we found that compressive force upregulated the expression of Ets-1 and Tks5 and promoted the activation of Ets-1 in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, we identified Tks5 as a transcription target of Ets-1 in RAW264.7 cells and demonstrated that Ets-1 mediates the effects of compressive force on Tks5 upregulation, invadopodia formation and cell fusion in osteoclasts. In conclusion, Ets-1 is upregulated by compressive force and it is essential to transducing the mechanical signal to promote invadopodia formation and osteoclast fusion. Our findings provide novel insight into the mechanism underlying osteoclast maturation and fusion during orthodontic treatment.

Surface-structured bacterial cellulose loaded with hUSCs accelerate skin wound healing by promoting angiogenesis in rats.

Promotion of wound healing is one of the most important fields in clinical medical research. This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of a new surface-structured bacterial cellulose(S-BC) biomaterial with human urine-derived stem cells (hUSCs) for wound healing. In vitro, EA.hy926 were inoculated on structured/non-structured bacterial cellulose, and the growth of EA.hy926 on bacterial cellulose in medium with/without conditioned medium of the hUSCs were observed to explore the effect of bacterial cellulose's surface structure and hUSCs-CM on vascular endothelial cell growth. In vivo, we covered wound surface with various BC materials and/or injected the hUSCs into the wound site on group BC, group S-BC, group hUSCs, group BC + hUSCs, group S-BC + hUSCs to evaluate the effect of S-BC and hUSCs on wound healing in rat full-thickness skin defect model. In vitro study, surface structure of S-BC could promote the growth and survival of EA.hy926, and the hUSCs-CM could further promote the proliferation of EA.hy926 on S-BC. In vivo study, wound healing rate of the group BC, group S-BC, group hUSCs was significantly accelerated, accompanied by faster re-epithelialization, collagen production and neovascularization than control group. It is note worthy that the effect of S-BC on wound healing was better than BC, the effect of S-BC + hUSCs on wound healing was better than BC + hUSCs. Moreover, the effect of S-BC combined with hUSCs on wound is better than treated with S-BC or hUSCs alone. All the findings suggest that the combination of S-BC and hUSCs could facilitate skin wound healing by promoting angiogenesis. This combination of the role of stem cells and biomaterial surface structures may provide a new way to address clinical wound healing problems.

Does Different Mandibulectomy (Marginal vs Segmental) Affect the Prognosis in Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether different mandibular surgical methods affect the prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Accordingly, the authors retrospectively compared the prognosis of patients who underwent marginal mandibulectomy (MG) or segmental mandibulectomy (SG) for OSCC and aimed to determine the factors influencing prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of 82 patients with OSCC who underwent mandibulectomy at their hospital from January 2001 through January 2015. All patients had a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of OSCC adjacent to the lower mandible. The local recurrence rate and survival rate after these 2 treatment modalities were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. At univariate and multivariate analyses, the Cox regression model was used to screen risk factors for recurrence, including pathologic grade, pT stage, mandibular involvement, lymph node metastasis, and method of mandibulectomy. Statistical significance was considered when P values were less than .05. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients, 39 underwent MG and 43 underwent SG. According to statistical analysis, age, gender, pathologic grade, tumor stage, mandibular involvement, and lymph node metastasis were similar between the 2 groups. The 3- and 5-year local recurrence rates were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P > .05). The 3- and 5-year survival rates were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P > .05). Poorly differentiated pathologic type was the only prognostic factor for OSCC at multivariate Cox regression analysis (P = .001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that MG is safe for some evaluated patients with OSCC. Of the prognostic factors studied, MG was not associated with worse prognosis; however, poorly differentiated OSCC affected the prognosis for oral carcinoma.

The potential value of oral microbial signatures for prediction of oral squamous cell carcinoma based on machine learning algorithms.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the potential predictive value of oral microbial signatures for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) risk based on machine learning algorithms. METHODS: The oral microbiome signatures were assessed in the unstimulated saliva samples of 80 OSCC patients and 179 healthy individuals using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Four different machine learning classifiers were used to develop prediction models. RESULTS: Compared with control participants, OSCC patients had a higher microbial dysbiosis index (MDI, p < 0.001). Among four machine learning classifiers, random forest (RF) provided the best predictive performance, followed by the support vector machines, artificial neural networks and naive Bayes. After controlling the potential confounders using propensity score matching, the optimal RF model was further developed incorporating a minimal set of 20 bacteria genera, exhibiting better predictive performance than the MDI (AUC: 0.992 vs. 0.775, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The novel MDI and RF model developed in this study based on oral microbiome signatures may serve as noninvasive tools for predicting OSCC risk.

Amino carboxymethyl chitosan//dialdehyde starch/polyvinyl alcohol double-layer film loaded with ε-polylysine.

To develop food packaging with good antibacterial activity and mechanical performance, four amino carboxymethyl chitosan (ACC)//dialdehyde starch (DAS) /polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films were prepared by Schiff base and hydrogen bond interactions for efficient loading and release of ε-polylysine (ε-PL). The effects of the Schiff base reaction on the physicochemical properties of the films were explored based on the different aldehyde group contents in DAS. The ACC//DAS4/PVA film exhibited a tensile strength of 62.5 MPa, and the water vapor and oxygen permeability was 8.77 × 10-3·g·mm/m2·d·kPa and 0.15 × 103·cm3·mm/m2·d, respectively. By leveraging the Schiff base reaction, the film swelling properties were improved by adjusting the cross-link density, mesh size, and molecular mass between the cross-links. The ACC//DAS4/PVA film could efficiently load ε-PL with a value of 98.44% and long-term release in a food simulant of 10% ethanol at 25 °C for 120 min. Moreover, the ACC-ε-PL//DAS4/PVA film was successfully used for salmon preservation.

SrCuSi4 O10 /GelMA Composite Hydrogel-Mediated Vital Pulp Therapy: Integrating Antibacterial Property and Enhanced Pulp Regeneration Activity.

Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is considered a conservative treatment for preserving pulp viability in caries-induced dental pulp infections. However, bacterial contamination negatively affects dentine-pulp complex repair. The common capping materials show limited antimicrobial effects against some microorganisms. To improve the VPT efficacy, capping materials with increased antibacterial properties and enhanced odontogenic and angiogenic activities are needed. Herein, a SrCuSi4 O10 /gelatin methacrylate(SC/Gel) composite hydrogel has been proposed for infected dental pulp treatment. SrCuSi4 O10 (SC) is a microscale bioceramic composed of assembled multilayered nanosheets that possesses good near-infrared photothermal conversion ability and multiple bioactivities due to sustained Sr2+ , Cu2+ , and SiO3 2- ion release. It is shown that the SC/Gel composite hydrogel efficiently eliminates Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei and inhibits biofilm formation under photothermal heating, while the ion extract from SC promotes odontogenesis of rat dental pulp stem cells and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The as-designed therapeutic effect of SC/Gel composite hydrogel-mediated VPT has been proven in a rat dental pulp infection model and yielded improved dentine-pulp complex repair compared with the commercially used iRoot® BP Plus. This study suggests that the SC/Gel composite hydrogel is a potential pulp-capping material with improved effects on dentine-pulp complex repair in infected pulp.

Small extracellular vesicles derived from hypoxic preconditioned dental pulp stem cells ameliorate inflammatory osteolysis by modulating macrophage polarization and osteoclastogenesis.

Extensive macrophage inflammatory responses and osteoclast formation are predominant during inflammatory or infective osteolysis. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEV) have been shown to exert therapeutic effects on bone defects. However, cultured MSCs are typically exposed to normoxia (21% O2) in vitro, which differs largely from the oxygen concentration in vivo under hypoxic conditions. It is largely unknown whether sEV derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) cultured under hypoxic conditions (Hypo-sEV) exert better therapeutic effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory osteolysis than those cultured under normoxic conditions (Nor-sEV) by simultaneously inhibiting the macrophage inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis. In this study, we show that hypoxia significantly induces the release of sEV from DPSCs. Moreover, Hypo-sEV exhibit significantly improved efficacy in promoting M2 macrophage polarization and suppressing osteoclast formation to alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory calvarial bone loss compared with Nor-sEV. Mechanistically, hypoxia preconditioning markedly alters the miRNA profiles of DPSC-sEV. MiR-210-3p is enriched in Hypo-sEV, and can simultaneously induce M2 macrophage generation and inhibit osteoclastogenesis by targeting NF-κB1 p105, which attenuates osteolysis. Our study suggests a promising potential for hypoxia-induced DPSC-sEV to treat inflammatory or infective osteolysis and identifies a novel role of miR-210-3p in concurrently hindering osteoclastogenesis and macrophage inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-kB1 expression.

Association between plasma trans fatty acids and chronic periodontitis: Results from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Trans fatty acid (TFA) consumption has been reported to harbor proinflammatory characteristics and increasing oxidative stress properties, but there has been little research into its association with periodontitis. This study aimed to explore the potential association between TFAs and periodontitis. METHODS: This large population-based study included participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009-2010). Weighted binary and ordinal logistic regressions were used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the relationship between plasma TFAs and periodontitis. RESULTS: A total of 1433 eligible participants, 793 (55.3%) participants with periodontitis and 640 (44.7%) without periodontitis were included. Univariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between plasma trans-11-octadecenoic acid, trans-9-octadecenoic acid, the sum of trans-octadecenoic acids, and the sum of TFAs and periodontitis (all P < 0.01). After controlling for the potential confounders, these four types of TFAs remained significantly associated with periodontitis (the ORs and 95% CIs per interquartile range increase were 1.16 (1.01-1.33), 1.20 (1.03-1.39), 1.18 (1.02-1.35), and 1.17 (1.01-1.35), respectively). Notably, these positive associations were more pronounced among overweight/obese populations. Additionally, plasma trans-9-octadecenoic acid levels were found to be associated with periodontitis severity. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a significant positive association between certain plasma TFAs and chronic periodontitis, especially among overweight/obese populations. These findings provide new insights into periodontitis prevention from a dietary perspective.

Altered regional homogeneity of spontaneous brain activity in patients with toothache: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Toothache (TA) is a common and severe pain, but its effects on the brain are somewhat unclear. In this study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to compare regional homogeneity (ReHo) between TA patients and a normal control group and to explore the brain activity changes during TA, establishing the theoretical basis for the mechanism of neuropathic pain. In total, 20 TA patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and underwent assessment of pain, and then resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). The ReHo method was used to analyze the original whole-brain images. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between mean ReHo values in each brain region and clinical symptoms, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to conduct correlation analysis on the brain regions studied. The ReHo values of the right lingual gyrus (RLG), right superior occipital gyrus (RSOG), left middle occipital gyrus (LMOG) and right postcentral gyrus (RPG) in the TA group were significantly higher than in HCs. The mean ReHo values in the RLG were positively correlated with the anxiety score (AS) (r = 0.723, p < 0.001), depression score (DS) (r = 0.850, p < 0.001) and visual analogue score (VAS) (r = 0.837, p < 0.001). The mean ReHo values of RSOG were also positively correlated with AS (r = 0.687, p = 0.001), DS (r = 0.661, p = 0.002) and VAS (r = 0.712, p < 0.001). The areas under the ROC curve of specific brain area ReHo values were as follows: RLG, 0.975; RSOG, 0.959; LMOG, 0.975; RPG, 1.000. Various degrees of brain activity changes reflected by ReHo values in different areas of the brain indicate the impact of TA on brain function. These findings may reveal related neural mechanisms underlying TA.