In Situ Synthesis and Assembly of Functional Materials and Devices in Living Systems.

ConspectusIntegrating functional materials and devices with living systems enables novel methods for recording, manipulating, or augmenting organisms not accessible by traditional chemical, optical, or genetic approaches. (The term "device" refers to the fundamental components of complex electronic systems, such as transistors, capacitors, conductors, and electrodes.) Typically, these advanced materials and devices are synthesized, either through chemical or physical reactions, outside the biological systems (ex situ) before they are integrated. This is due in part to the more limited repertoire of biocompatible chemical transformations available for assembling functional materials in vivo. Given that most of the assembled bulk materials are impermeable to cell membranes and cannot go through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the external synthesis poses challenges when trying to interface these materials and devices with cells precisely and in a timely manner and at the micro- and nanoscale─a crucial requirement for modulating cellular functions. In contrast to presynthesis in a separate location, in situ assembly, wherein small molecules or building blocks are directly assembled into functional materials within a biological system at the desired site of action, has offered a potential solution for spatiotemporal and genetic control of material synthesis and assembly.In this Account, we highlight recent advances in spatially and temporally targeted functional material synthesis and assembly in living cells, tissues and animals and provide perspective on how they may enable novel probing, modulation, or augmentation of fundamental biology. We discuss several strategies, starting from the traditional nontargeted methods to targeted assembly of functional materials and devices based on the endogenous markers of the biological system. We then focus on genetically targeted assembly of functional materials, which employs enzymatic catalysis centers expressed in living systems to assemble functional materials in specific molecular-defined cell types. We introduce the recent efforts of our group to modulate membrane capacitance and neuron excitability using in situ synthesized electrically functional polymers in a genetically targetable manner. These advances demonstrate the promise of in situ synthesis and assembly of functional materials and devices, including the optogenetic polymerization developed by our lab, to interface with cells in a cellular- or subcellular-specific manner by incorporating genetic and/or optical control over material assembly. Finally, we discuss remaining challenges, areas for improvement, potential applications to other biological systems, and novel methods for the in situ synthesis of functional materials that could be elevated by incorporating genetic or material design strategies. As researchers expand the toolkit of biocompatible in situ functional material synthetic techniques, we anticipate that these advancements could potentially offer valuable tools for exploring biological systems and developing therapeutic solutions.

Nanoparticles with Active Targeting Ability and Acid Responsiveness for an Enhanced Antitumor Effect of Docetaxel.

Docetaxel (DOC) is commonly used in cancer treatment, especially for breast cancer. However, there are severe side effects in clinical application. In order to deliver docetaxel more effectively, a novel, active targeting acid-responsive polymer called cRGD-PAE-PEG-DSPE was developed. The polymer structure incorporated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the hydrophilic segment, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE) as the hydrophobic segment, and poly(ß-amino ester) (PAE) as the acid-responsive group, which was grafted onto the PEG. Furthermore, c(RGDyC) was grafted onto PAE to confer active targeting capability. Through self-assembly, docetaxel was encapsulated in RAED@DOC. Through in vitro experiments, it was confirmed that RAED@DOC had good serum stability and acid responsiveness, as well as enhanced uptake by MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, the antitumor efficiency in vivo and histopathological analysis showed that RAED@DOC exhibited higher antitumor activity and lower systemic toxicity in comparison to free docetaxel. These results suggested that RAED@DOC had considerable potential clinical use.

Systematic review of the osteogenic effect of rare earth nanomaterials and the underlying mechanisms.

Rare earth nanomaterials (RE NMs), which are based on rare earth elements, have emerged as remarkable biomaterials for use in bone regeneration. The effects of RE NMs on osteogenesis, such as promoting the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, have been investigated. However, the contributions of the properties of RE NMs to bone regeneration and their interactions with various cell types during osteogenesis have not been reviewed. Here, we review the crucial roles of the physicochemical and biological properties of RE NMs and focus on their osteogenic mechanisms. RE NMs directly promote the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. They also increase collagen secretion and mineralization to accelerate osteogenesis. Furthermore, RE NMs inhibit osteoclast formation and regulate the immune environment by modulating macrophages and promote angiogenesis by inducing hypoxia in endothelial cells. These effects create a microenvironment that is conducive to bone formation. This review will help researchers overcome current limitations to take full advantage of the osteogenic benefits of RE NMs and will suggest a potential approach for further osteogenesis research.

Tumor specific in situ synthesis of therapeutic agent for precision cancer therapy.

BACKGROUND: Traditional chemotherapeutic agents suffer from a lack of selectivity, poor targeting ability, and drug resistance. Developing tumor-specific therapies is crucial for precisely eliminating tumors while circumventing toxicity to normal tissues. Disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved drug for treating alcohol dependence, exhibits antitumor effect by forming complexes with copper ions (Cu(DDC)2). Here, we developed a Cu-doped polydopamine-based nanosystem (DSF@CuPDA-PEGM) to achieve in situ generation of toxic Cu(DDC)2. RESULTS: In cancer cells with elevated H2O2 contents, CuPDA responsively degrades to release Cu ions and DSF, allowing on-site synthesis of Cu(DDC)2 with potent antitumor activity. DSF@CuPDA-PEGM exhibits excellent therapeutic efficacy against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cancer cells while minimizing toxicity to noncancerous cells. Moreover, DSF@CuPDA-PEGM promotes the immune response by inducing cancer cell immunogenic death, thereby augmenting anti-PD-1-based immune checkpoint blockade therapy. CONCLUSION: A tumor-specifically degradable Cu-doped polydopamine-based nanosystem is developed to achieve in situ synthesis of antitumor compounds, providing a promising approach to precisely eliminate tumors and heighten chemo-immunotherapy.

Breaking Iron Homeostasis: Iron Capturing Nanocomposites for Combating Bacterial Biofilm.

Given the scarcity of novel antibiotics, the eradication of bacterial biofilm infections poses formidable challenges. Upon bacterial infection, the host restricts Fe ions, which are crucial for bacterial growth and maintenance. Having coevolved with the host, bacteria developed adaptive pathways like the hemin-uptake system to avoid iron deficiency. Inspired by this, we propose a novel strategy, termed iron nutritional immunity therapy (INIT), utilizing Ga-CT@P nanocomposites constructed with gallium, copper-doped tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP) metal-organic framework, and polyamine-amine polymer dots, to target bacterial iron intakes and starve them. Owing to the similarity between iron/hemin and gallium/TCPP, gallium-incorporated porphyrin potentially deceives bacteria into uptaking gallium ions and concurrently extracts iron ions from the surrounding bacteria milieu through the porphyrin ring. This strategy orchestrates a "give and take" approach for Ga3+/Fe3+ exchange. Simultaneously, polymer dots can impede bacterial iron metabolism and serve as real-time fluorescent iron-sensing probes to continuously monitor dynamic iron restriction status. INIT based on Ga-CT@P nanocomposites induced long-term iron starvation, which affected iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and carbohydrate metabolism, ultimately facilitating biofilm eradication and tissue regeneration. Therefore, this study presents an innovative antibacterial strategy from a nutritional perspective that sheds light on refractory bacterial infection treatment and its future clinical application.

[Research Status of Nanomaterial Medical Device and Discussion on Biological Evaluation].

In recent years, China has made great progress in basic nanomedicine, nanotoxicology and nanobiology research. Nanotechnology has been continuously applied in biomaterial and medical device, more and more medical devices applying nanomaterials are developed and manufactured. In order to gain more comprehension and accurate understanding of the research and industrial development in nanobiomaterial medical devices, this study reviewed the common nanomaterial in medical devices and the regulatory situation of nanomaterial medical devices at home and abroad, and discussed the current challenges in biological evaluation of nanomaterial medical devices, with a view to providing ideas for the safety evaluation and research of related products.

Weak direct current exerts synergistic effect with antibiotics and reduces the antibiotic resistance: An in vitro subgingival plaque biofilm model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Weak direct current (DC) exerts killing effect and synergistic killing effect with antibiotics in some specific bacteria biofilms. However, the potential of weak DC alone or combined with periodontal antibiotics in controlling periodontal pathogens and plaque biofilms remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate whether weak DC could exert the anti-biofilm effect or enhance the killing effect of metronidazole (MTZ) and/or amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium (AMC) on subgingival plaque biofilms, by constructing an in vitro subgingival plaque biofilm model. METHODS: The pooled subgingival plaque and saliva of patients with periodontitis (n = 10) were collected and cultured anaerobically on hydroxyapatite disks in vitro for 48 h to construct the subgingival plaque biofilm model. Then such models were stimulated with 0 µA DC alone (20 min/12 h), 1000 µA DC alone (20 min/12 h), 16 µg/ml MTZ, 16 µg/ml AMC or their combination, respectively. Through viable bacteria counting, metabolic activity assay, quantitative real-time PCR absolute quantification and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis, the anti-biofilm effect of 1000 µA DC and enhanced killing effects of 1000 µA DC combined with antibiotics (MTZ, AMC or MTZ+AMC) were explored. RESULTS: The old subgingival plaque model (48 h) had no significant difference in total bacterial loads from subgingival plaque in situ, which achieved a similarity of 80%. The 1000 µA DC plus MTZ or AMC for 12 h showed a stronger synergistic killing effect than the same combination for 20 min. The metabolic activity was reduced to the lowest by DC plus MTZ+AMC, as 37.4% of that in the control group, while average synergistic killing effect reached 1.06 log units and average total bacterial loads decreased to 0.87 log units. Furthermore, the relative abundance of the genera Porphyromonas, Prevotella, Treponema_2, and Tannerella were decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: The presence of weak DC (1000 µA) improved the killing effect of antibiotics on subgingival plaque biofilms, which might provide a novel strategy to reduce their antibiotic resistance.

Oxidative stress in human gingival fibroblasts from periodontitis versus healthy counterparts.

OBJECTIVE: Elevated p53 promotes oxidative stress and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in liposaccharide (LPS)-treated healthy human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). This study compared oxidative stress, production of inflammatory cytokines, and p53 expression in HGFs from patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and healthy subjects in vitro upon LPS from Porphyromonas gingivalis challenge. METHODS: Human gingival fibroblasts were isolated from 6 biopsies-3 from healthy donors and 3 from diseased area in CP (Grade B, Stage III). HGFs were cultured with or without 1 µg/ml 24 h LPS. Oxidative stress was assessed by analyzing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial membrane potential and respiration were determined by immunofluorescence and respirometry, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. P53 expression was monitored by Western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Human gingival fibroblasts from CP exhibited increased levels of mitochondrial p53, enhanced ROS production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and increased secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß, as compared to HGFs from healthy donors. Moreover, LPS exacerbated these changes. CONCLUSION: Human gingival fibroblasts from CP exhibited stronger basal and LPS-inducible oxidative stress and inflammatory response as compared to HGFs from healthy subjects by increased p53 in mitochondria.

Dynamic changes in transcriptome during orthodontic tooth movement.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine global changes in gene expression with next generation sequencing (NGS) in order to assess the biological effects of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) on alveolar bone in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five Wistar rats (age 14 weeks) were used in the study. The OTM was performed using closed coil Nickel-Titanium spring to apply a mesial force on maxillary first molars of 8-10 g. Three hours, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after the placement of the appliance, rats were killed at each time point respectively. The alveolar bone, around left maxillary first molar, were excised on compression side. The samples were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen for subsequent RNA extraction. Total RNA samples were prepared for mRNA sequencing using the Illumina kit. RNA-Seq reads were aligned to the rat genomes using the STAR Aligner and bioinformatic analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 18 192 genes were determined. Day 1 has the highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) observed with more upregulated than downregulated genes. A total of 2719 DEGs were identified to use as input for the algorithm. Six distinct clusters of temporal patterns were observed representing proteins that were differentially regulated indicating different expression kinetics. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed distinct clustering by time points and days 3, 7 and 14 share similar gene expression pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct gene expression pattern was observed at different time points studied. Hypoxia, inflammation and bone remodelling pathways are major mechanisms behind OTM.

Digitally measured exposed root surface area for predicting the effectiveness of modified coronally advanced tunnel combined de-epithelialized gingival grafting in the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive value of baseline digitally measured exposure root surface area (ERSA) on the effectiveness of modified coronally advanced tunnel and de-epithelialized gingival grafting (MCAT + DGG) technique for the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGRs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 96 gingival recessions (48 RT1 and 48 RT2) from 30 subjects were included. ERSA was measured on the digital model obtained by intraoral scanner. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the possible correlation of ERSA, Cairo recession type (RT), gingival biotype, keratinized gingival width (KTW), tooth type, and cervical step-like morphology on the mean root coverage (MRC) and complete root coverage (CRC) at 1-year after MCAT + DGG. The predictive accuracy of CRC is tested using receiver-operator characteristic curves. RESULTS: At 1-year postoperatively, the MRC for RT1 was 95.14 ± 10.25%, which was significantly higher than 78.42 ± 22.57% for RT2 (p < 0.001). ERSA (OR:1.342, p < 0.001), KTW (OR:1.902, p = 0.028) and lower incisors (OR:15.716, p = 0.008) were independent risk factors for predicting MRC. ERSA and MRC showed significant negative correlation in RT2(r = -0.558, p < 0.001), but not in RT1(r = 0.220, p = 0.882). Meanwhile, ERSA (OR:1.232, p = 0.005) and Cairo RT (OR:3.740, p = 0.040) were independent risk factors for predicting CRC. For RT2, the area under curve was 0.848 and 0.898 for ERSA without or with other correction factors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Digitally measured ERSA may provide strong predictive values for RT1 and RT2 defects treated with MCAT + DGG. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrates that digitally measured ERSA is a valid outcome predictor for root coverage surgery, especially applicable for predicting RT2 MAGRs.

Calcium carbonate: controlled synthesis, surface functionalization, and nanostructured materials.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is an important inorganic mineral in biological and geological systems. Traditionally, it is widely used in plastics, papermaking, ink, building materials, textiles, cosmetics, and food. Over the last decade, there has been rapid development in the controlled synthesis and surface modification of CaCO3, the stabilization of amorphous CaCO3 (ACC), and CaCO3-based nanostructured materials. In this review, the controlled synthesis of CaCO3 is first examined, including Ca2+-CO32- systems, solid-liquid-gas carbonation, water-in-oil reverse emulsions, and biomineralization. Advancing insights into the nucleation and crystallization of CaCO3 have led to the development of efficient routes towards the controlled synthesis of CaCO3 with specific sizes, morphologies, and polymorphs. Recently-developed surface modification methods of CaCO3 include organic and inorganic modifications, as well as intensified surface reactions. The resultant CaCO3 can then be further engineered via template-induced biomineralization and layer-by-layer assembly into porous, hollow, or core-shell organic-inorganic nanocomposites. The introduction of CaCO3 into nanostructured materials has led to a significant improvement in the mechanical, optical, magnetic, and catalytic properties of such materials, with the resultant CaCO3-based nanostructured materials showing great potential for use in biomaterials and biomedicine, environmental remediation, and energy production and storage. The influences that the preparation conditions and additives have on ACC preparation and stabilization are also discussed. Studies indicate that ACC can be used to construct environmentally-friendly hybrid films, supramolecular hydrogels, and drug vehicles. Finally, the existing challenges and future directions of the controlled synthesis and functionalization of CaCO3 and its expanding applications are highlighted.

Facile Preparation of Three-Dimensional Wafer with Interconnected Porous Structure for High-Performance Capture and Nondestructive Release of Circulating Tumor Cells.

Efficient isolation and downstream bioinformation analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in whole blood contribute to the early diagnosis of cancer and investigation of cancer metastasis. However, the separation and release of CTCs remain a great challenge due to the extreme rarity of CTCs and severe interference from other cells in complex clinical samples. Herein, we developed a low-cost and easy-to-fabricate aptamer-functionalized wafer with a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected porous structure by grafting polydopamine (PDA), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and aptamer in sequence (Ni@PDA-PEG-Apt) for the capture and release of CTCs. The Ni@PDA-PEG-Apt wafer integrated the features of Ni foam with a 3D interconnected porous structure offering enough tunnels for cells to flow through and enhancing aptamer-cell contact frequency, the spacer PEG with flexible and high hydrophilic property increasing anti-interference ability and providing the wafer with more binding sites for aptamer, which result in an enhanced capture specificity and efficiency for CTCs. Because of these advantages, the Ni@PDA-PEG-Apt wafer achieved a high capture efficiency of 78.25%. The captured cancer cells were mildly released by endonuclease with up to 61.85% efficiency and good proliferation. Furthermore, tumor cells were injected into mice and experienced circulation in vivo. In blood samples after circulation, 65% of target tumor cells can be efficiently captured by the wafer, followed by released and recultured cells with high viability. Further downstream metabolomics analysis showed that target cancer cells remained with high biological activity and can be well separated from MCF-10A cells based on metabolic profiles by the PCA analysis, indicating the great potential of our strategy for further research on the progression of cancer metastasis. Notably, not only is the wafer cheap with a cost of only 3.58 U.S. dollars and easily prepared by environmental-friendly reagents but also the process of capturing and releasing tumor cells can be completed within an hour, which is beneficial for large-scale clinical use in the future.

The subgenomes show asymmetric expression of alleles in hybrid lineages of Megalobrama amblycephala × Culter alburnus.

Hybridization drives rapid speciation by shaping novel genotypic and phenotypic profiles. Genomic incompatibility and transcriptome shock have been observed in hybrids, although this is rarer in animals than in plants. Using the newly sequenced genomes of the blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala [BSB]) and the topmouth culter (Culter alburnus [TC]), we focused on the sequence variation and gene expression changes in the reciprocal intergeneric hybrid lineages (F1-F3) of BSB × TC. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis identified 145-974 expressed recombinant genes in the successive generations of hybrid fish, suggesting the rapid emergence of allelic variation following hybridization. Some gradual changes of gene expression with additive and dominance effects and various cis and trans regulations were observed from F1 to F3 in the two hybrid lineages. These asymmetric patterns of gene expression represent the alternative strategies for counteracting deleterious effects of the subgenomes and improving adaptability of novel hybrids. Furthermore, we identified positive selection and additive expression patterns in transforming growth factor, beta 1b (tgfb1b), which may account for the morphological variations of the pharyngeal jaw in the two hybrid lineages. Our current findings provide insights into the evolution of vertebrate genomes immediately following hybridization.

Identification of a novel laccase gene EuLAC1 and its potential resistance against Botrytis cinerea.

In this study, a novel laccase gene, EuLAC1, was cloned from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (E. ulmoides). An overexpression vector harboring the EuLAC1 was constructed and introduced into the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi). The laccase activity, resistance to Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) and lignin level in wild-type and transgenic plants were thereafter investigated. Interestingly, the transgenic tobacco displayed a significantly higher laccase activity and resistance to gray mold as compared to the wild-type tobacco. Additionally, the lignin contents in the leaves and stems of the transgenic tobacco were significantly higher in comparison to the wild-type tobacco. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the cross sections of wild-type and transgenic tobacco stems and it was noted that the cell wall near the xylem catheter of the transgenic tobacco was substantially thicker and the outline clearer than that of the wild-type. Thus, the EuLAC1 gene can significantly increase laccase activity and lignin content in tobacco, leading to an increase in the physical defenses, thereby increasing tobacco resistance to gray mold.

Advances in microbial synthesis of bioplastic monomers.

Bio-based plastics production offers an alternative to the environmental problems posed by a significant reliance on fossil fuels. While dicarboxylic acids were essential bioplastic monomers, producing them on a large scale proved problematic. Recently, metabolic engineering has opened up interesting possibilities for producing dicarboxylic acids sustainably and efficiently. In this chapter, studies on the development of several dicarboxylic acid bioplastic monomers were presented. Furthermore, for different dicarboxylic acids, a variety of metabolic engineering strategies were highlighted, including improving the utilization rate of substrates, strengthening the catalytic efficiency of key enzymes, blocking branching pathways to balance metabolic flux, and improving cell physiological performance to promote biosynthesis. Finally, the remaining obstacles and solutions for building advanced dicarboxylic acid microbial systems were discussed.

Abnormal mitochondrial structure and function are retained in gingival tissues and human gingival fibroblasts from patients with chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The abnormal structure and function of mitochondria in cells is closely associated with inflammatory diseases. However, the physiology of mitochondria within gingival tissues and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the structure profile and function of mitochondria in gingival tissues and in HGFs derived from patients with or without CP. These features of mitochondria in HGFs were further analyzed when HGFs were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g). METHODS: Gingival tissues and HGFs were collected from CP and healthy patients. Mitochondrial structure was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Tissues or cells lysis was performed for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) quantification, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests were used to determine mtDNA copy numbers. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate autophagy-related protein (ATG)-5, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and mitochondrial matrix protein pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 2 (PDK2) levels in tissues and HGFs from CP and healthy individuals. RESULTS: Tissues and HGFs from CP showed a significant greater mitochondrial structure destruction, lower mtDNA level, increased ATG5, LC3-II, and lower PDK2 protein levels than those of healthy individuals. In addition, LPS from P.g also triggered the same results in HGFs from healthy donors. Moreover, the challenge of HGFs from CP with LPS worsened these parameters. CONCLUSION: Mitochondrial structure and function within gingival tissues and HGFs from CP individuals were abnormal compared to those from healthy donors, and LPS could promote mitochondrial destruction.

A Retrospective Study of 105 Patients with Elastolytic Giant Cell Granuloma and a Proposal for a New Clinical Classification.

Elastolytic giant cell granuloma, an idiopathic granulomatous dermatosis, is characterized by annular plaques on sun-exposed areas, and has been termed actinic granuloma or annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma. Many atypical clinical manifestations and lesions involving sun-protected areas have been reported. The aims of this retrospective study of 105 patients were to summarize the clinical and histological features of patients with this condition; to provide evidence for the viewpoint that elastolytic giant cell granuloma is a better term to include all clinical morphological types presenting with elastolysis, elastophagocytosis, and an infiltrate of multinucleated giant cells histologically; and to establish a new clinical classification. The varying clinical manifestations were further categorized into annular, papular, giant, mixed and generalized forms. The pathological manifestations were classified into giant cell, necrobiotic, histiocytic, sarcoidal and mixed patterns. Diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance were the most commonly identified comorbidities. Oral low-dose corticosteroid may be an effective treatment.

Preparation of boronic acid and carboxyl-modified molecularly imprinted polymer and application in a novel chromatography mediated hollow fiber membrane to selectively extract glucose from cellulose hydrolysis.

A novel boronic acid and carboxyl-modified glucose molecularly imprinted polymer were prepared through suspension polymerization, which is based on 1.0 mmol glucose as a template, 1.2 mmol methacrylamidophenylboronic acid, and 6.8 mmol methacrylic acids as monomers, 19 mmol ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, and 1 mmol methylene-bis-acrylamide as crosslinkers. The prepared glucose-molecularly imprinted polymer had a particle size of 25-70 µm, and was thermally stable below 215°C, with a specific surface area of 174.82 m2/ g and average pore size of 9.48 nm. The best selectivity between glucose and fructose was 2.71 and the maximum adsorption capacity of glucose- molecularly imprinted polymer was up to 236.32 mg/ g which was consistent with the Langmuir adsorption model. The similar adsorption abilities in six successive runs and the good desorption rate (99.4%) verified glucose-molecularly imprinted polymer could be reused. It was successfully used for extracting glucose from cellulose hydrolysis. The adsorption amount of glucose was 2.61 mg/mL and selectivity between glucose and xylose reached 4.12. A newly established chromatography (glucose-molecularly imprinted polymer) mediated hollow fiber membrane method in time separated pure glucose from cellulose hydrolysates on a large scale, and purified glucose solution with a concentration of 3.84 mg/mL was obtained, which offered a feasible way for the industrial production of glucose from cellulose hydrolysates.

Associations among Orthodontic History, Psychological Status, and Temporomandibular-Related Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations among orthodontic history, psychological status, and temporomandibular-related quality of life. Methods: A questionnaire was developed and distributed to students in a local college, containing questions about demographic information, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), the Fonseca anamnestic index, and the Oral Health Impact Profile for Temporomandibular Disorders (OHIP-TMD). The respondents were divided into with orthodontic history (OS) group and without OS group. Binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression were performed for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 531 valid questionnaires were collected, covering 161 participants with OS and 370 participants without OS. No statistically significant differences were observed in the scores of PHQ-4 between the two groups. There was statistical difference in the prevalence of TMD (with OS group, 54.66%; without OS group, 40.81%) and the mean value ( ± standard deviations) of the scores of OHIP-TMD (with OS group, 9.64 ± 12.36; without OS group, 6.64 ± 10.79) (p < 0.05). After adjusting confounding factors, participants with OS have worse temporomandibular-related quality of life and a higher risk of having TMD than the participants without OS. Conclusions: Orthodontic history was related with the higher prevalence of TMD and worse temporomandibular-related quality of life, but not related with psychological distress, and the cause-and-effect relationship needs further exploration.

Aggravating Effects of Psychological Stress on Ligature-Induced Periodontitis via the Involvement of Local Oxidative Damage and NF-κB Activation.

Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and psychological factors play an important role in the development of periodontitis. To elucidate the adverse effects of psychological stress on the inflammatory process and redox status of periodontitis tissue, fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the control, experimental periodontitis, psychological stress, experimental periodontitis plus psychological stress, and experimental periodontitis plus psychological stress plus fluoxetine groups. Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used to establish psychological stress, and silk ligature was used to induce experimental periodontitis. Four weeks later, stressed rats showed altered behaviour, serum hormone levels, and sucrose preference. More obvious alveolar bone loss and attachment loss and higher protein expressions of inflammatory cytokines were observed in the experimental periodontitis plus psychological stress group. The combination of CUMS and periodontitis had synergistic effects on increasing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and decreasing antioxidant enzyme activities compared with those in the stress or periodontitis groups. Moreover, psychological stress further increased p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels and decreased IκBα protein levels in periodontitis rats. Fluoxetine administration alleviated the adverse effects of psychological stress on the progression of periodontitis in rats. These results hint us that psychological stress could aggravate inflammation in periodontitis tissues, which may be partly due to local worsening of oxidative damage and further activation of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signalling pathway.