The Intermucosal Connection between the Mouth and Gut in Commensal Pathobiont-Driven Colitis.

The precise mechanism by which oral infection contributes to the pathogenesis of extra-oral diseases remains unclear. Here, we report that periodontal inflammation exacerbates gut inflammation in vivo. Periodontitis leads to expansion of oral pathobionts, including Klebsiella and Enterobacter species, in the oral cavity. Amassed oral pathobionts are ingested and translocate to the gut, where they activate the inflammasome in colonic mononuclear phagocytes, triggering inflammation. In parallel, periodontitis results in generation of oral pathobiont-reactive Th17 cells in the oral cavity. Oral pathobiont-reactive Th17 cells are imprinted with gut tropism and migrate to the inflamed gut. When in the gut, Th17 cells of oral origin can be activated by translocated oral pathobionts and cause development of colitis, but they are not activated by gut-resident microbes. Thus, oral inflammation, such as periodontitis, exacerbates gut inflammation by supplying the gut with both colitogenic pathobionts and pathogenic T cells.

Evaluating the Long-term Stability of a Predefined Palatal Region for Tooth Movement Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of orthodontic tooth movement (TM) using digital dental models (DMs), focusing on the palatal region of interest (PROI), aiming to evaluate the long-term stability of the PROI, validate the 3D TM analysis with PROI registration, and compare it with conventional lateral cephalometric analyses. METHODS: Twenty adult patients treated with a multibracket appliance were evaluated at their first visit (T0) and at least 5 years later (T1) using DMs and lateral cephalograms (LCs). The long-term stability of PROI was assessed by calculating the point cloud distances between DM-T0 and DM-T1. TM analysis using DM with PROI registration for the maxillary central incisors was assessed through linear and angular measurements in the sagittal view and subsequently compared with the LCs. RESULTS: The average point cloud distance of the PROI between DM-T0 and DM-T1 was 0.21 mm (standard deviation, 0.13 mm). TM analysis using DMs demonstrated excellent reproducibility for both linear and angular measurements (intra-rater correlation coefficient, > 0.99). The 95% limits of agreement between the DM and LC measurements were < 5.14° for angular change, 3.53 mm for vertical displacement, and 0.98 mm for horizontal displacement. No significant differences were observed in the angular and linear measurements when the TM was compared using the DMs and LCs. CONCLUSIONS: The PROI remained stable for over 5 years, supporting the reproducibility and accuracy of TM assessment using PROI registration in orthodontic clinical practice. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: DM analysis lacks the risks associated with X-ray exposure and can be easily performed in daily clinical practice, indicating its potential for future clinical applications. These findings further support the use of DM with PROI registration for TM analysis in orthodontic clinical practice, emphasizing its long-term stability and reproducibility.

A potential pathogenic association between periodontal disease and Crohn's disease.

Oral conditions are relatively common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the contribution of oral maladies to gut inflammation remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the effect of periodontitis on disease phenotypes of patients with IBD. In all, 60 patients with IBD (42 with ulcerative colitis [UC] and 18 with Crohn's disease [CD]) and 45 healthy controls (HCs) without IBD were recruited for this clinical investigation. The effects of incipient periodontitis on the oral and gut microbiome as well as IBD characteristics were examined. In addition, patients were prospectively monitored for up to 12 months after enrollment. We found that, in both patients with UC and those with CD, the gut microbiome was significantly more similar to the oral microbiome than in HCs, suggesting that ectopic gut colonization by oral bacteria is increased in patients with IBD. Incipient periodontitis did not further enhance gut colonization by oral bacteria. The presence of incipient periodontitis did not significantly affect the clinical outcomes of patients with UC and CD. However, the short CD activity index increased in patients with CD with incipient periodontitis but declined or was unchanged during the study period in patients without periodontitis. Thus, early periodontitis may associate with worse clinically symptoms in some patients with CD.

Use of a hyperdried cross-linked amniotic membrane as initial therapy for corneal perforations.

PURPOSE: To report the use of hyperdried cross-linked (HDCL) amniotic membrane (AM) patching with tissue adhesive as an initial therapy for corneal perforations. METHODS: Cryopreserved AM was cross-linked with 0.1% glutaraldehyde and then dried using far-infrared rays and microwaves (hyperdry method). Three eyes of three patients with corneal perforations of up to 3 mm in diameter were included in this study. They were treated with a single-layer patch of HDCL-AM applied with a tissue adhesive (2-octyl-cyanoacrylate). We also evaluated the resistance of HDCL-AM to collagenases during in vitro digestion testing. RESULTS: In all three cases, the corneal perforations were repaired within 28 days (range, 17-28 days). No recurrence occurred during the follow-up period (3-6 months). In the collagenase digestion testing, the HDCL-AM did not dissolve until 48 h, whereas the cryopreserved AM completely dissolved within 60 min. CONCLUSIONS: Three cases of corneal perforations were successfully managed using HDCL-AM patching with tissue adhesive. The HDCL-AM was resistant to collagenases during in vitro digestion testing. The HDCL-AM was a useful substrate for corneal perforations. This simple surgical technique may be one of the initial therapeutic options for corneal perforations.

Anti-biofouling properties of a telomer brush with pendent glucosylurea groups.

A thiol-group-carrying telomer with pendent D-glucosylurea groups [poly(glucosylureaethyl methacrylate)-SH (PolyGUMA-SH)] was obtained by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization of GUMA in the presence of 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid) (initiator) and 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate (chain-transfer agent) and subsequent reduction with NaBH4. The thiol-carrying telomer was accumulated on both a gold electrode and a colloidal gold-immobilized glass substrate as proven by cyclic voltammetry using hydroquinone as a probe, and the increase in absorbance at 550 nm was ascribable to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), respectively. The adsorption of various proteins to the surface of the telomer brush was examined by the LSPR method, too. The PolyGUMA brush showed a significant resistance against nonspecific adsorption of proteins, such as lysozyme, bovine serum albumin, immunoglobulin G, and fibrinogen. Furthermore, sugar-binding proteins, concanavalin A (Con A, with an affinity for mannose and glucose) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA, with an affinity for N-acetylglucosamine), were not adsorbed to the GUMA-carrying brush, which is in contrast with the prompt and distinct binding of these proteins to the telomer brushes composed of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl D-glucopyranoside (Con A) and 1-O-(6'-methacrylamido)hexyl-2-N-acetoamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranoside residues (WGA). The glucosylurea-group-carrying telomer brush prepared here might be quite useful to provide a "bio-inert (anti-biofouling)" surface in biomedical fields.

A hyperdry amniotic membrane patch using a tissue adhesive for corneal perforations and bleb leaks.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of hyperdry amniotic membrane (AM) patching attached using a tissue adhesive for corneal perforations and glaucoma filtering bleb leaks. DESIGN: Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. METHODS: Five eyes of 5 patients (glaucoma bleb leaks, 2 eyes; corneal perforations, 3 eyes) were treated with a single-layer patch of dried AM using a biological tissue adhesive. The dried AM was prepared with consecutive far-infrared rays and microwaves (hyperdry method) and was sterilized by gamma-ray irradiation. The dried AM was cut to the desired size and shape, and the tissue adhesive was applied to the amniotic epithelial side of the dried membrane. After applying the tissue adhesive, the dried membrane with glue applied then was positioned to cover the conjunctival bleb leak site or corneal perforation lesion using forceps. A therapeutic hydrogel contact lens then was installed as a bandage. RESULTS: Bleb leaks or corneal perforations were repaired successfully within 21 days in all 5 cases. There were no remarkable adverse effects, and there was no recurrence of bleb leak or corneal perforation. CONCLUSIONS: The hyperdry AM is a useful substrate, and this surgical procedure is a promising method to treat glaucoma filtering bleb leak or corneal perforation, which may result in serious vision-threatening ocular complications.