Salivary microbiome in chronic kidney disease: what is its connection to diabetes, hypertension, and immunity?

BACKGROUND: The association between oral dysbiosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has gained increasing attention in recent years. Diabetes and hypertension are the most common conditions in CKD. However, a case-control study with matched confounding variables on the salivary microbiome in CKD and the influence of diabetes and hypertension on the microbiome has never been reported. METHODS: In our study, we compared the salivary microbiome profile between patients with CKD and healthy controls (HC) using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and examine its association with diabetes, hypertension, and immunity. RESULTS: We observed that the bacterial community was skewed in the saliva of CKD, with increased Lautropia and Pseudomonas, and decreased Actinomyces, Prevotella, Prevotella 7, and Trichococcus. No difference in the bacterial community between the CKD patients complicated with and without diabetes, and between those with and without hypertension. Prevotella 7 declined in CKD patients with/without hypertension with respect to HC, while Pseudomonas increased in CKD patients with/without hypertension. Pseudomonas was negatively associated with immunoglobin G in CKD patients. Both CKD patients with positive and negative antistreptolysin O had declined Prevotella 7 and Trichococcus compared to HC, whereas increased Pseudomonas. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies a distinct bacterial saliva microbiome in CKD patients characterized by alteration in composition. We unravel here that the co-occurrence diseases of diabetes and hypertension are not associated with specific bacterial alterations, suggesting that bacterial dysbiosis in saliva plays a role in renal damage regardless of the occurrence of diabetes and hypertension.

Cationic Alternating Polypeptide Fixed on Polyurethane at Multiple Sites for Excellent Antibacterial and Antifouling Properties.

Bacterial infection and blockage are severe problems for polyurethane (PU) catheters and there is an urgent demand for surface-functionalized polyurethane. Herein, a cationic alternating copolymer comprising allyl-substituted ornithine and glycine (allyl-substituted poly(Orn-alter-Gly)) with abundant carbon-carbon double bond functional groups (C═C) is designed. Polyurethane is prepared with a large quantity of C═C groups (PU-D), and different amounts of allyl-substituted poly(Orn-alter-Gly) are grafted onto the PU-D surface (PU-D-2%AMPs and PU-D-20%AMPs) via the C═C functional groups. The chemical structures of the allyl-substituted poly(Orn-alter-Gly) and polyurethane samples (PU, PU-D, PU-D-2%AMPs, and PU-D-20%AMPs) are characterized and the results reveal that allyl-substituted poly(Orn-alter-Gly) is decorated on the polyurethane. PU-D-20%AMPs shows excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus because of the high surface potential caused by cationic allyl-substituted poly(Orn-alter-Gly), and it also exhibits excellent long-term antibacterial activity and antibiofilm properties. PU-D-20%AMPs also has excellent antifouling properties because the cationic copolymer is fixed at multiple reactive sites, thus avoiding the formation of movable long chain brush. A strong surface hydration barrier is also formed to prevent adsorption of proteins and ions, and in vivo experiments reveal excellent biocompatibility. This flexible strategy to prepare dual-functional polyurethane surfaces with antibacterial and antifouling properties has large potential in biomedical implants.

Relieving Sore Throat Formula Exerts a Therapeutic Effect on Pharyngitis through Immunoregulation and NF-κB Pathway.

Relieving Sore Throat Formula (RSTF) is a formula approved by the China Food and Drug Administration and has been used for the treatment of pharyngitis in clinic for many years. However, the potential pharmacological mechanism still remains unknown. We combined multiple methods including bioinformatics data digging, network pharmacology analysis, and pathway analysis to predict the potential target of RSTF. We verified our in silico prediction results with an in vivo/vitro antibacterial effect test, mouse phagocytic index test, proliferation, transformation, and migration of mouse spleen lymphocytes. Alteration of NF-κB pathway was determined by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and PCR. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that the RSTF could significantly relieve the symptoms of pharyngitis. A rat saliva secretion test showed that RSTF can effectively relieve the xerostomia symptom. A phenol red excretion test showed that RSTF has an eliminating phlegm effect. A hot plate method and granuloma experiment proved that RSTF also have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In silico prediction demonstrates that 70 active compounds of RSTF were filtered out through ADME screening and 84 putative targets correlated with different diseases. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the candidate targets were mostly related to the response to bacteria and immunity signalling pathways, which are known contributors to pharyngitis. Experimental results confirmed that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly by antibacterial effect and downregulation of NF-κB activities. It is demonstrated both in silico and in vivo/vitro that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly through an antibiotic effect and downregulation of NF-κB signalling pathway.

[Comparison of the application of micro-implant screw support and flat guide plate in the treatment of excessive deep overbite of lower anterior teeth].

PURPOSE: To compare and analyze the orthodontic effects of micro-implant screw support and flat guide plate on excessive deep overbite of lower anterior teeth. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with excessive deep overbite of the lower anterior teeth who were treated from January to December 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two groups (41 in each group) by random number table method. Both groups were treated with straight wire arch orthodontic technology, and the anterior teeth were supported by micro-implant screws (micro-implant screw group) and flat guide plates (flat guide plate group), respectively. The effect of upper anterior tooth compression, changes in occlusal plane, and apical absorption were compared between the two groups. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant changes in SNA angle, SNB angle, ANB angle, U1-PP, U6-PP, and L6-MP before and after treatment between the two groups (P＞0.05). L1-MP significantly increased in both groups after treatment than before treatment(P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in bite opening, Spee curve depth, U1 depression, L1 depression, U6 elongation, L6 elongation and occlusal opening time between the two groups before and after treatment(P＞0.05). The root apex absorption of the mandibular central incisors and lateral incisors in the micro-implant screw group was significantly lower than that in the flat guide plate group(P＜0.05), while there was no significant difference in root apex absorption between the two groups of canines(P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both micro-implant screw support and flat guide plate can effectively lower the mandibular anterior teeth in the treatment of deep overbite in adults, with good orthodontic effects. However, the latter can lead to increased root resorption.

Overview of the preparation method, structure and function, and application of natural peptides and polypeptides.

Natural polypeptides, a kind of molecular polymer with obvious biological activity, are widely existing in nature. They participate in various physiological activities of living organisms and play an important role in promoting human health. They are also widely applied in medicine, food, and cosmetic industries. By searching literature from Pubmed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Springer Link and Elsevier, this work presents an overview of the preparation methods, the relationship between structure and function, and the application of natural polypeptides. The preparation methods mainly include solvent extraction, enzymatic decomposition, microbiological fermentation, chemical synthesis, genetic engineering recombination, and using cell free system. Natural polypeptide's physiological function mainly includes antioxidative, antibacterial, antihypertensive. This review could provide scientific basis for the research and development of natural polypeptide.

In situ characterization of functional groups of biochar in pyrolysis of cellulose.

Heating rate, an important parameter in pyrolysis, not only impacts distribution of pyrolysis products, but also affects evolution of functionality of biochar and further application of the biochar. In this study, an in situ Diffuse Reflection Infrared Fourier Transform Spectra (DRIFTS) technique was used to probe transformation of functional groups of the biochar derived from pyrolysis of cellulose at varied heating rate of 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min, aiming to draw an overall picture for the change of functional groups of the biochar versus the heating rate and pyrolysis temperature. The results showed the abundance of -OH, CH and CO experienced a maximum in 410 to 450 °C, depending on the specific heating rates, and then decreased with further increasing temperature via the conversion routes including dehydration, dehydrogenation and cracking. This led to carbonization of the biochar with monotonous increase of abundance of =C-H and CC functionality. Formation of the =C-H had a very close correlation with the removal of -C-H and -OH, especially the -C-H. Cracking of CO was one of the decisive factors for formation of CC. Nevertheless, cracking of C-O-C was much more difficult to be removed than that of CO and -OH, deterring the carbonization and leading to the retainment oxygen in the biochar.

[The treatment method and effect of orbital floor defects repaired with autologous tragus cartilage through Cald-well-Luc approach under nasal endoscope].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the operative method and effect of fracture of orbital floor defects repaired with tragus cartilage through Cald-well-Luc approach under nasal endoscope. METHOD: Fifteen cases suffered fracture of orbital floor defects(blow out fracture) were analyzed retrospectively. Oral vestibular incision were done directly to tip teeth kennel, maxillary sinus anterior forewall was chiseled with 2 cm x 2 cm size, orbital floor fracture defect size was probed under nasal endoscope, and the fracture of orbital floor defects was repaired with tragus cartilage. RESULT: Fifteen cases were successfully operated and no cases showed vision loss,diplopia, enophthalmos obviously after operation,while 3 case were a little eyeball limitation of activity and restored basically after one month. With two years of follow up, there were no spurious eyelid drooping, up-eyelid lacuna deepen, eyelid diameter shorten and facial deformity were found. Both eye-balls were basical symmetry and no complications were happened. CONCLUSION: It is a satisfactory, effective and aminimally invasive surgical method without facial scars and eyelid ectropion for fracture of orbital floor defects repaired with tragus cartilage through Cald-well-Luc approach under nasal endoscope.