Three-dimensional reconstruction computed tomography in thoracoscopic segmentectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Thoracoscopic segmentectomy is the recommended treatment option for small peripheral pulmonary nodules. To assess the ability of preoperative three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction computed tomography (CT) to shorten the operative time and improve perioperative outcomes in thoracoscopic segmentectomy compared with standard chest CT, we conducted this randomized controlled trial. METHODS: The DRIVATS study was a multicentre, randomized controlled trial conducted in 3 hospitals between July 2019 and November 2023. Patients with small peripheral pulmonary nodules not reaching segment borders were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 3D reconstruction CT or standard chest CT before thoracoscopic segmentectomy. The primary end-point was operative time. The secondary end-points included incidence of postoperative complications, intraoperative blood loss and operative accident event. RESULTS: A total of 191 patients were enrolled in this study: 95 in the 3D reconstruction CT group and 96 in the standard chest CT group. All patients underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy except for 1 patient in the standard chest CT group who received a wedge resection. There is no significant difference in operative time between the 3D reconstruction CT group (median, 100 min [interquartile range (IQR), 85-120]) and the standard chest CT group (median, 100 min [IQR, 81-140]) (P = 0.82). Only 1 intraoperative complication occurred in the standard chest CT group. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups (P = 0.52). Other perioperative outcomes were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with small peripheral pulmonary nodules not reaching segment borders, the use of 3D reconstruction CT in thoracoscopic segmentectomy was feasible, but it did not result in significant differences in operative time or perioperative outcomes compared to standard chest CT.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in Southern China: long-term retrospective study of 400 cases.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an evolving and growing disease, especially in developing countries. However, the clinical characteristics of HPV-associated HNSCC in regard to HPV infection rates, patient features, and prognosis are under-reported in the Asian population. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively enrolled a 400-case cohort of HNSCC with p16 immunochemistry and analyzed with long-term follow-up. We investigate the current HPV prevalence of HNSCC, unique HPV-associated patient clinical characteristics, and patient prognosis in the southern China population. Results: HPV infection exhibited a 15% prevalence in all HNSCC cases, notably higher in oropharyngeal cases (30.7%), followed by oral cavity (11.8%), laryngeal (10.1%), and hypopharyngeal (2.5%). HPV status, gender, old age, and location of tumor were significantly associated with the patient's survival. Tonsil invasion was found more frequent in HPV-positive oropharyngeal HNSCC than in HPV-negative cases. HPV-associated HNSCC patients tend to possess stronger tobacco and alcohol habits, which were correlated to poor survival. HPV status's correlation with gender, age, and anatomical location is associated intricately with patient survival. The secondary primary tumor rate was found higher within the HPV-negative group, compared to the HPV-positive group (9.12% versus 1.67%). Conclusion: Our study provided a current picture of HPV-associated HNSCC in the southern China population and elaborated the understanding of key factors that correlate to HNSCC prognosis. Our findings indicated a strong susceptibility of HPV-associated oropharyngeal HNSCC in the tonsil and the difference in secondary primary tumor rates associated with HPV status.

HPV in head and neck cancer In this study, we retrospectively enrolled a 400-case cohort of HNSCC with p16 immunochemistry and analyzed with long-term follow-up. We investigate the current HPV prevalence of HNSCC, unique HPV-associated patient characteristics, along with patient prognosis in southern China population. Our findings indicated a strong susceptibility of HPV-associated oropharyngeal HNSCC in tonsil and difference of secondary primary tumor associated with HPV status. Our study provided a current picture of HPV-associated HNSCC in southern China population and elaborated the understanding of key factors that correlate to HNSCC prognosis.

Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) affects midpalatal suture bone remodeling during rapid maxillary expansion.

BACKGROUND: The fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) is an RNA demethylase that contributes to several physiological processes. Nonetheless, the impact of FTO on bone remodeling in the midpalatal suture while undergoing rapid maxillary expansion (RME) remains unclear. METHODS: First, to explore the expression of FTO in the midpalatal suture during RME, six rats were randomly divided into two groups: Expansion group and Sham group (springs without being activated). Then, suture mesenchymal stem cells (SuSCs) were isolated as in vitro model. The expression of FTO was knocked down by small interfering RNA to study the effect of FTO on the osteogenic differentiation of SuSCs. Finally, to evaluate the function of FTO in the process of bone remodeling in the midpalatal suture, ten rats were randomly divided into two groups: FB23-2 group (10 µM, a small molecule inhibitor of FTO) and DMSO group (control). RESULTS: Increased arch width and higher expression of OCN and FTO in the midpalatal area were observed in expansion group (P < .05). In the in vitro model, the mRNA expression levels of Runx2, Bmp2, Col1a1, Spp1, and Tnfrsf11b were decreased (P < .05) upon knocking down FTO. Additionally, the protein levels of RUNX2 and OPN were also decreased (P < 0.05). Adding FB23-2, a small-molecule inhibitor targeting FTO, to the medium of SuSCs caused a decrease in the mRNA expression levels of Runx2, Bmp2, Col1a1, Spp1, and Tnfrsf11b (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in evaluating the expression of OCN and OPN on the palatal suture between the FB23-2 and DMSO groups (P < .05). LIMITATION: The molecular mechanisms by which FTO regulates SuSCs osteogenesis remain to be elucidated. The FTO conditional knock out mouse model can be established to further elucidate the role of FTO during RME. CONCLUSION: FTO contributes to the osteogenic differentiation of SuSCs and plays a promoting role in midpalatal suture bone remodeling during the RME.

IL-38 suppresses macrophage M1 polarization to ameliorate synovial inflammation in the TMJ via GLUT-1 inhibition.

OBJECTIVES: Interleukin (IL)-38 was discovered as an anti-inflammatory factor. However, IL-38's role in M1 macrophage polarization in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the related mechanism are still unclear. We aimed to explore the effect and the mechanism of IL-38 on synovial inflammation in the TMJ in this study. METHODS: The expression of IL-38 in the TMJ synovium and macrophages was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB). M1 macrophage polarization was induced by LPS, the macrophages were pre-treated with IL-38, and the levels of inflammatory markers associated with M1 macrophages were measured. To assess the mechanism of IL-38, small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-GLUT-1 and STF31 were administered to macrophages, and the affected pathways were identified by WB. The effect of macrophage-conditioned medium (CM) on chondrocyte function was also determined. Finally, a mouse model of CFA-induced TMJ inflammation was established. Histological staining and IHC were used to determine the effect of IL-38. RESULTS: IL-38 was detected at high levels in macrophages after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)challenge, and IL-38 downregulated M1 macrophage-related proinflammatory markers (iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2) in vitro. IL-38 suppressed M1 polarization by inhibiting GLUT-1 expression, NF-κB signaling, and MAPK signaling. Intriguingly, CM from macrophages that were pretreated with IL-38 and STF31 decreased inflammatory protein expression in chondrocytes. In addition, intra-articular injection of recombinant IL-38 ameliorated synovial inflammation in the TMJ by inhibiting M1 macrophage polarization and suppressing cartilage inflammation in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: IL-38 is a novel anti-inflammatory factor that contributes to alleviating TMJ inflammation by inhibiting macrophage M1 polarization, thereby ameliorating chondrocyte inflammation and restoring TMJ homeostasis.

Effects of RNA m6A writer METTL3 and hDPSCs on the peripheral nerve regeneration: In vitro and in vivo study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether RNA m6A participated in the differentiation and proliferation of dental pulp stem cells and improved peripheral nerve regeneration using a rat model of crushed mental nerve injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The components of RNA m6A were analyzed through qRT-PCR, while cell proliferation of different groups, including over-expression METTL3 (OE-METTL3) hDPSCs group, knock-down METTL3 (KD-METTL3) hDPSCs group and hDPSCs group in vitro, was clarified by MTT assay. Five groups were designed, namely, Control group, Sham group, hDPSCs group, OE-METTL3 group and KD-METTL3 group. After crushed right mental nerve injury, cells of different groups were transplanted into the lesion area (6 ul in volume). At one, two and three weeks later, histomorphometric analysis and sensory test were conducted in vivo. RESULTS: qRT-PCR results showed that "METTL3" was participated in the differentiation of dental pulp stem cells. There were differences (P < 0.05) between OE-METTL3 group and control group in MTT results in the third, fourth and sixth days. Moreover, the sensory test revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in difference score and gap score between OE-METTL3 group and KD-METTL3 group in the first and third weeks. The axon counts and retrograde labeled neurons significantly increased in OE-METTL3 group compared with KD-METTL3 group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that RNA m6A participated in the differentiation and proliferation of dental pulp stem cells, and that OE-METTL3 group exhibited the greater ability to improve peripheral nerve regeneration than KD-METTL3 group and hDPSCs group.

Automatic three-dimensional nasal and pharyngeal airway subregions identification via Vision Transformer.

OBJECTIVES: Upper airway assessment requires a fully-automated segmentation system for complete or sub-regional identification. This study aimed to develop a novel Deep Learning (DL) model for accurate segmentation of the upper airway and achieve entire and subregional identification. METHODS: Fifty cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, including 24,502 slices, were labelled as the ground truth by one orthodontist and two otorhinolaryngologists. A novel model, a lightweight multitask network based on the Swin Transformer and U-Net, was built for automatic segmentation of the entire upper airway and subregions. Segmentation performance was evaluated using Precision, Recall, Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Intersection over union (IoU). The clinical implications of the precision errors were quantitatively analysed, and comparisons between the AI model and Dolphin software were conducted. RESULTS: Our model achieved good performance with a precision of 85.88-94.25%, recall of 93.74-98.44%, DSC of 90.95-96.29%, IoU of 83.68-92.85% in the overall and subregions of three-dimensional (3D) upper airway, and a precision of 91.22-97.51%, recall of 90.70-97.62%, DSC of 90.92-97.55%, and IoU of 83.41-95.29% in the subregions of two-dimensional (2D) crosssections. Discrepancies in volume and area caused by precision errors did not affect clinical outcomes. Both our AI model and the Dolphin software provided clinically acceptable consistency for pharyngeal airway assessments. CONCLUSION: The novel DL model not only achieved segmentation of the entire upper airway, including the nasal cavity and subregion identification, but also performed exceptionally well, making it well suited for 3D upper airway assessment from the nasal cavity to the hypopharynx, especially for intricate structures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This system provides insights into the aetiology, risk, severity, treatment effect, and prognosis of dentoskeletal deformities and obstructive sleep apnea. It achieves rapid assessment of the entire upper airway and its subregions, making airway management-an integral part of orthodontic treatment, orthognathic surgery, and ENT surgery-easier.

Gαi2 regulates the adult myogenesis of masticatory muscle satellite cells.

Although similar to trunk and limb skeletal muscles, masticatory muscles are believed as unique in both developmental origins and myogenesis. Gαi2 has been demonstrated to promote muscle hypertrophy and muscle satellite cell differentiation in limb muscles. However, the effect of Gαi2 on masticatory muscles is still unexplored. This study aimed to identify the role of Gαi2 in the proliferation and differentiation of masticatory muscle satellite cells, further exploring the metabolic mechanism of masticatory muscles. The proliferation rate, myotube size, fusion index of masticatory muscle satellite cells and Pax7, Myf5, MyoD, Tcf21 and Musculin expressions were significantly decreased by Gαi2 knockdown, while in cells infected with AdV4-Gαi2, the proliferation rate, myotube size, fusion index and Tbx1 expression were significantly increased. Masticatory muscle satellite cells also displayed phenotype transformation as Gαi2 changed. In addition, Gαi2 altered myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms of myotubes with less MyHC-2A expression in siGαi2 group and more MyHC-slow expression in AdV4-Gαi2 group. In conclusion, Gαi2 could positively affect the adult myogenesis of masticatory muscle satellite cells and maintain the superiority of MyHC-slow. Masticatory muscle satellite cells may have their unique Gαi2-regulated myogenic transcriptional networks, although they may share some common characteristics with trunk and limb muscles.

m6 A demethylase Fto regulates the TNF-α-induced inflammatory response in cementoblasts.

OBJECTIVE: Apical periodontitis is the most frequently occurring pathological lesion. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (Fto) is the first identified RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase. However, whether Fto regulates apical periodontitis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of Fto in the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We established an apical periodontitis model. An immortalized cementoblast cell line (OCCM-30) cells were exposed to TNF-α. Fto, Il6, Mcp1, and Mmp9 expressions were assessed by qRT-PCR. We knocked down Fto using lentiviruses and detected TNF-α-induced inflammation-related gene expressions and mRNA stability. RESULTS: Mice with apical periodontitis showed downregulation of Fto expression. OCCM-30 cells exposed to TNF-α showed an upregulation of inflammation-related genes with a decrease in Fto. Furthermore, knockdown of Fto promoted the expressions of Il6, Mcp1, and Mmp9 in TNF-α-treated OCCM-30 cells as compared with negative control cells, whereas it did not affect the mRNA stability. Interestingly, Fto knockdown activated the p65, p38, and ERK1/2 pathways, and it slightly activated the JNK signaling pathway after TNF-α administration in OCCM-30 cells. CONCLUSION: A TNF-α-induced decrease in the expression of Fto might play a critical role in the inflammatory response in cementoblasts, and knockdown of Fto might upregulate the inflammatory response.

FTO/RUNX2 signaling axis promotes cementoblast differentiation under normal and inflammatory condition.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent mRNA modification which plays crucial roles in various biological processes, but its role in cementogenesis remains largely unknown. Here, using time-series transcriptomic analysis, we reveal that mRNA m6A demethylase Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) is involved in cementogenesis. Knocking down FTO decreases cementoblast differentiation and mineralization in both OCCM-30 cellular model and murine ectopic bone formation model. Mechanistically, we find that FTO directly binds Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) mRNA, an important cementogenesis factor, thus protecting it from YTH domain-containing family protein 2 (YTHDF2) mediated degradation, when cementoblasts are differentiating. Knocking down YTHDF2 restores the expression of Runx2 in FTO-knockdown cells. Moreover, under inflammatory conditions, TNF-α inhibits cementoblast differentiation and mineralization partly through FTO/RUNX2 axis. Collectively, our study reveals an important regulatory role of FTO/RUNX2 axis in normal and pathological cementogenesis.

PGC-1α attenuates TNF-α-induced inflammatory responses in OCCM-30 cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC)-1α, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, has been associated with many inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about the function and mechanism of PGC-1α in cementoblasts under periodontitis. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of PGC-1α in immortalized cementoblast cell line OCCM-30 under TNF-α stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OCCM-30 cells were cultured and exposed to TNF-α, and PGC-1α expression was assessed by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Chemical inhibitors targeting various signaling pathways including NF-κB, p38 MAPK, Akt, and p53 were used to identify the regulatory mechanism involved. ZLN005 was used to upregulate PGC-1α and the subsequent alteration of inflammatory cytokines expression under TNF-α stimulation were examined by qRT-PCR and Elisa. PGC-1α siRNA was employed to further verify the role of PGC-1α in inflammatory response. Dual-reporter gene assays were performed to examine the transcriptional activity of p65, and the phosphorylation level of p65 was evaluated by western blotting. Immunofluorescence assays and nuclear and cytoplasmic extractions were performed to check the nuclear translocation of p65. Coimmunoprecipitation studies were also performed to check whether there is direct binding between p65 and PGC-1α. RESULTS: TNF-α suppressed PGC-1α expression in OCCM-30 cells. Blocking p38 MAPK pathways restored the expression of PGC-1α. ZLN005 can upregulate PGC-1α in OCCM-30 cells. The upregulation of PGC-1α by ZLN005 inhibited TNF-α-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression, which was impaired by the transfection of PGC-1α siRNA. Knocking down PGC-1α also partially restored the ZLN005-decreased transcriptional activity of p65. However, the phosphorylation level and nuclear translocation of p65 were not significantly affected by PGC-1α. It was found that p65 was bound to PGC-1α in OCCM-30 cells stimulated by TNF-α, and the binding was increased upon ZLN005 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PGC-1α can attenuate TNF-α-induced inflammatory responses in OCCM-30 cells.

miRNA/mRNA co-profiling identifies the miR-200 family as a central regulator of SMC quiescence.

miRNAs are versatile regulators of smooth muscle cell (SMC) fate and behavior in vascular development and disease. Targeted loss-of-function studies have established the relevance of specific miRNAs in controlling SMC differentiation or mediating phenotypic modulation. Our goal was to characterize SMC miRNAome and its contribution to transcriptome changes during phenotypic modulation. Small RNA sequencing revealed that dedifferentiation led to the differential expression of over 50 miRNAs in cultured SMC. miRNA/mRNA comparison predicted that over a third of SMC transcript expression was regulated by differentially expressed miRNAs. Our screen identified the miR-200 cluster as highly downregulated during dedifferentiation. miR-200 maintains SMC quiescence and represses proliferation, migration, and neointima formation, in part by targeting Quaking, a central SMC phenotypic switching mediator. Our study unraveled the substantial contribution of miRNAs in regulating the SMC transcriptome and identified the miR-200 cluster as a pro-quiescence mechanism and a potential inhibitor of vascular restenosis.

Effects of long noncoding RNA H19 on cementoblast differentiation, mineralisation, and proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: Cementum which is a layer of thin and bone-like mineralised tissue covering tooth root surface is deposited and mineralised by cementoblasts. Recent studies suggested long noncoding RNA H19 (H19) promotes osteoblast differentiation and matrix mineralisation, however, the effect of H19 on cementoblasts remains unknown. This study aimed to clarify the regulatory effects of H19 on cementoblast differentiation, mineralisation, and proliferation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An immortalised murine cementoblast cell line OCCM-30 was used in this study. H19 expression was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) during OCCM-30 cell differentiation. OCCM-30 cells were transfected with lentivirus or siRNA to up-regulate or down-regulate H19, then the levels of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix (Sp7), alkaline phosphatase (Alpl), bone sialoprotein (Ibsp), osteocalcin (Bglap) were tested by RT-qPCR or western blot. Alizarin red staining, ALP activity assay and MTS assay were performed to determine the mineralisation and proliferation ability of OCCM-30 cells. RESULTS: H19 was dramatically increased during OCCM-30 cell differentiation. Overexpression of H19 increased the levels of Runx2, Sp7, Alpl, Ibsp, and Bglap and enhanced ALP activity and the formation of mineral nodules. While down-regulation of H19 suppressed the above cementoblast differentiation genes and inhibited ALP activity and mineral nodule formation. However, the proliferation of OCCM-30 cells was not affected. CONCLUSIONS: H19 promotes the differentiation and mineralisation of cementoblasts without affecting cell proliferation.

The Function of microRNAs in Pulmonary Embolism: Review and Research Outlook.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common pathologic condition that frequently occurs in patients with deep venous thrombosis. Severe PE may critically suppress cardiopulmonary function, thereby threatening the life of patients. Chronic pulmonary hypertension caused by PE may lead to deterioration of respiratory dysfunction, resulting in complete disability. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of abundantly expressed non-coding RNAs that exert multiple functions in regulating the transcriptome via post-transcriptional targeting of mRNAs. Specifically, miRNAs bind to target mRNAs in a matching mechanism between the miRNA seed sequence and mRNA 3' UTR, thus modulating the transcript stability or subsequent translation activity by RNA-induced silencing complex. Current studies have reported the function of miRNAs as biomarkers of PE, revealing their mechanism, function, and targetome in venous thrombophilia. This review summarizes the literature on miRNA functions and downstream mechanisms in PE. We conclude that various related miRNAs play important roles in PE and have great potential as treatment targets. For clinical application, we propose that miRNA biomarkers combined with traditional biomarkers or miRNA signatures generated from microchips may serve as a great predictive tool for PE occurrence and prognosis. Further, therapies targeting miRNAs or their upstream/downstream molecules need to be developed more quickly to keep up with the progress of routine treatments, such as anticoagulation, thrombolysis, or surgery.

Smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis: clones but not carbon copies.

Our knowledge of the contribution of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to atherosclerosis has greatly advanced in the previous decade with the development of techniques allowing for the unambiguous identification and phenotypic characterization of SMC populations within the diseased vascular wall. By performing fate mapping or single-cell transcriptomics studies, or a combination of both, the field has made key observations: SMCs populate atherosclerotic lesions by the selective expansion and investment of a limited number of medial SMCs, which undergo profound and diverse modifications of their original phenotype and function. Thus, if SMCs residing within atherosclerotic lesions and contributing to the disease are clones, they are not carbon copies and can play atheroprotective or atheropromoting roles, depending on the nature of their phenotypic transitions. Tremendous progress has been made in identifying the transcriptional mechanisms biasing SMC fate. In the present review, we have summarized the recent advances in characterizing SMC investment and phenotypic diversity and the molecular mechanisms controlling SMC fate in atherosclerotic lesions. We have also discussed some of the remaining questions associated with these breakthrough observations. These questions include the underlying mechanisms regulating the phenomenon of SMC oligoclonal expansion; whether single-cell transcriptomics is reliable and sufficient to ascertain SMC functions and contributions during atherosclerosis development and progression; and how SMC clonality and phenotypic plasticity affects translational research and the therapeutic approaches developed to prevent atherosclerosis complications. Finally, we have discussed the complementary approaches the field should lean toward by combining single-cell phenotypic categorization and functional studies to understand further the complex SMC behavior and contribution in atherosclerosis.

H3K4 di-methylation governs smooth muscle lineage identity and promotes vascular homeostasis by restraining plasticity.

Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the regulation of cell differentiation and function. Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are specialized contractile cells that retain phenotypic plasticity even after differentiation. Here, by performing selective demethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 di-methylation (H3K4me2) at SMC-specific genes, we uncovered that H3K4me2 governs SMC lineage identity. Removal of H3K4me2 via selective editing in cultured vascular SMCs and in murine arterial vasculature led to loss of differentiation and reduced contractility due to impaired recruitment of the DNA methylcytosine dioxygenase TET2. H3K4me2 editing altered SMC adaptative capacities during vascular remodeling due to loss of miR-145 expression. Finally, H3K4me2 editing induced a profound alteration of SMC lineage identity by redistributing H3K4me2 toward genes associated with stemness and developmental programs, thus exacerbating plasticity. Our studies identify the H3K4me2-TET2-miR145 axis as a central epigenetic memory mechanism controlling cell identity and function, whose alteration could contribute to various pathophysiological processes.

Metabolic labeling of enterovirus 71 with quantum dots for the study of virus receptor usage.

Fluorescent labeling and dynamic tracking is a powerful tool for exploring virus infection mechanisms. However, for small-sized viruses, virus tracking studies are usually hindered by a lack of appropriate labeling methods that do not dampen virus yield or infectivity. Here, we report a universal strategy for labeling viruses with chemical dyes and Quantum dots (QDs). Enterovirus 71 (EV71) was produced in a cell line that stably expresses a mutant methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS), which can charge azidonorleucine (ANL) to the methionine sites of viral proteins during translation. Then, the ANL-containing virus was easily labeled with DBCO-AF647 and DBCO-QDs. The labeled virus shows sufficient yield and no obvious decrease in infectivity and can be used for imaging the virus entry process. Using the labeled EV71, different functions of scavenger receptor class B, member 2 (SCARB2), and heparan sulfate (HS) in EV71 infection were comparatively studied. The cell entry process of a strong HS-binding EV71 strain was investigated by real-time dynamic visualization of EV71-QDs in living cells. Taken together, our study described a universal biocompatible virus labeling method, visualized the dynamic viral entry process, and reported details of the receptor usage of EV71.

CircRNA Lrp6 promotes cementoblast differentiation via miR-145a-5p/Zeb2 axis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cementum is a part of the periodontium and anchors periodontal ligaments to the alveolar bone. Cementoblasts are responsible for the cementum formation via matrix deposition and subsequently mineralization. Thus, exploring novel mechanisms underlying the function of cementoblast contributes to the treatment of cementum damage. Recently, circRNA Lrp6 (circLRP6) has been of interest due to its active role in cell differentiation, but its potential role in cementoblast differentiation remains unclear. Herein, we attempted to elucidate the role of circLRP6 in cementoblast differentiation and clarify any associated mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mRNA expressions of circLRP6, miR-145a-5p, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (Zeb2), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteopontin (Opn), and bone sialoprotein (Bsp) were evaluated by qRT-PCR. The protein levels of Zeb2 were measured by Western blot. Bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to test the potential binding targets of miR-145a-5p. The differentiation potentials of the cementoblasts were assessed by Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity assay, Alizarin red S (ARS) staining, and quantification. RESULTS: In this study, circLRP6 was significantly upregulated in cementoblast differentiation. Furthermore, circLRP6 knockdown inhibited ALP levels, reduced calcium nodule formation and the expression of Runx2, Opn, and Bsp. Mechanically, bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed miR-145a-5p was a potential binding target of circLRP6. miR-145a-5p can negatively regulate cementoblast differentiation. Subsequently, bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed Zeb2 was a potential miR-145a-5p target. miR-145a-5p overexpression resulted in a downregulation of Zeb2. Furthermore, Zeb2 inhibition partially reversed the effect of circLRP6 during cementoblast differentiation. CONCLUSION: Taken together, circLRP6 appears to modulate cementoblast differentiation by antagonizing the function of miR-145a-5p, thereby increasing Zeb2. This study serves as a stepping stone for the potential development of an approach to promote cementum formation.

Self-Radiopaque Markers Guiding Physician-Modified Fenestration (S-Fenestration) in Aortic Arch Endovascular Repair.

Backgrounds and Objectives: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has currently become the "first-line choice" for descending aortic pathologies. For pathologies located at the aortic arch, TEVAR with physician-modified fenestration (PMF) has been gained popularity as an alternative choice. However, stent fenestration is an experience-dependent technique and comes with possible adverse events such as misalignment. This study aims to introduce the self-radiopaque PMF (SF), which uses the radiopaque marker as a guiding indicator. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study of 125 patients who underwent the SF-TEVAR in Second Xiangya Hospital from December 2015 to December 2020. Data include basic clinical information and technique records of SF-TEVAR with follow-up results. Results: According to the SF-TEVAR protocol, we have performed the procedures on 125 patients and obtained an instant success rate of 98.4%. A total of 140 aortic stent-grafts and 44 bridging stents have been implanted in this study. The operation time is 64.6 ± 19.3 min, X-ray exposure time (from first digital subtraction angiography (DSA) to last DSA) is 25.6 ± 14.3 min, and contrast volume is 82.2 ± 22.6 ml. The success rate of PMF alignment is 98.4%. One bailout stent-graft was implanted into the left subclavian artery (LSA) by the chimney technique (0.8%). One fenestration was successfully and immediately corrected after misalignment (0.8%). Large simultaneous fenestration was performed in six patients (4.8%) for the left common carotid artery (LCCA) and LSA and in two patients (1.6%) for IA, LCCA, and LSA. One hundred twenty-two out of 125 patients' LSAs have been kept patent by the technique during the follow-up. The bridging stent group consists of 44 patients who received LSA stents, while the non-bridging stent group includes the other 81 patients. Type I endoleak has occurred in seven patients (5.6%) 1 week after the procedure. During follow-up (23 ± 18 months), survival rate is 95.7% and branch artery patent rate is 97.4%. Conclusions: The SF-TEVAR technique, which utilizes the radiopaque marker in stent-graft as an indication for PMF in TEVAR, seems a likely safe, effective, and efficient procedure that brings acceptable survival rate and branch artery patency rate. SF-TEVAR serves as a progressive alternative method to keep the branch artery patent in aortic arch endovascular reconstruction.

Endovascular and surgical approaches of iatrogenic vertebrovertebral arteriovenous fistula.

Vertebrovertebral arteriovenous fistula is an uncommon vascular disease with no clear management guidelines. It is most commonly caused by iatrogenic injury. We have presented the details of two iatrogenic cases and a review to discuss strategies for endovascular and surgical approaches. From the digital subtraction angiography findings, the vertebrovertebral arteriovenous fistulas were occluded by endovascular coil positioning (patient 1) and surgical ligation of the fistulas (patient 2). Although endovascular approaches are increasing in popularity and considered well-tolerated treatments, open surgical treatment is still reserved for the most complex cases and those not feasible for endovascular treatment.

DNAzyme Walker for Homogeneous Detection of Enterovirus EV71 and CVB3.

When dealing with infectious pathogens, the risk of contamination or infection in the process of detecting them is nonnegligible. Separation-free detection will be beneficial in operation and safety. In this work, we proposed a DNAzyme walker for homogeneous and isothermal detection of enterovirus. The DNAzyme is divided into two inactivate subunits. When the subunit-conjugated antibody binds to the target virus, the activity of the DNAzyme recovers as a result of spatial proximity. The walker propels, and the fluorescence recovers. The final fluorescence intensity of the reaction mixture is related to the concentration of the target virus. The detection limit of this proposed method is 6.6 × 104 copies/mL for EV71 and 4.3 × 104 copies/mL for CVB3, respectively. Besides, this method was applied in detection of EV71 in clinical samples with a satisfactory result. The entire experiment is easy to operate, and the proposed method has great potential for practical use.