Investigation of the understanding on tropical infectious diseases and oral health among dental professionals in China.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing exchange of domestic and international personnel, local infections of tropical infectious diseases are continuing in tropics and imported infections are emerging in non-tropics, some of which are accompanied by oral manifestations. Therefore, it is essential for dental professionals to identify the related oral manifestations, who are working for domestic medical service, international medical assistance, peace-keeping medical service or medical support of international joint military exercises. This study aims to investigate the attitude and knowledge of Chinese dental professionals on tropical infectious diseases and oral health, and to explore the difference between different genders, education backgrounds, professional identities, professional titles and tropics working experience. METHODS: Network questionnaire was used to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of 236 Chinese dental professionals towards tropical infectious diseases and oral health. RESULTS: The scores of the participants on tropical infectious diseases and oral health were quite low. Although working experience in the tropics partially affected the understanding, there was no difference between different genders, education backgrounds, professional identities and professional titles. CONCLUSION: The understanding of dental professionals on tropical infectious diseases and oral health was insufficient. It is necessary to improve the clinical education and management specified with tropical infectious diseases and oral health.

CCDC134 regulates the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @#To study the regulatory effect of coiled-coil domain containing 134 (CCDC134) on the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs).@*Methods @# HDPSCs were isolated and cultured from dental pulp tissue and transfected with NC-CCDC134, shCCDC134 and CCDC134 lentiviruses. They were divided into the control group, negative control group, CCDC134 downregulation (shCCDC134) group and CCDC134 overexpression (CCDC134) group. Surface markers of hDPSCs (Stro-1, CD105, CD34, CD45) were detected by flow cytometry; colony formation was analyzed by toluidine blue staining; ALP expression was estimated by ALP staining; mineralized nodule formation was evaluated by alizarin red staining; lipid droplet formation was examined by oil red staining; and gene and protein expression of CCDC134, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin (OCN), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 1 (SMAD1) was detected by qPCR and western blot, respectively. Further, a BMP-2 activator (BMP-2) and inhibitor (Dorsomorphin) were used to down-regulate and up-regulate CCDC134, respectively (shCCDC134, shCCDC134+BMP-2, CCDC134, CCDC134+Dorsomorphin), in hDPSCs. The hDPSC aggregates were subcutaneously transplanted into nude mice for 2 months, and new bone formation was detected by H&E staining. The BMP-2/SMAD1 signaling in each group was detected by qPCR.@*Results@#hDPSCs showed high expression of mesenchymal markers and low expression of hematopoietic markers. Compared with the control group, the expression of CCDC134 was increased in the osteogenic-induced hDPSCs (P < 0.05). Compared with the negative control group, the expression of CCDC134 was decreased in the shCCDC134 group, whereas it was increased in the CCDC134 group (P < 0.05). The mineralized nodules, osteogenic genes and proteins in the shCCDC134 group were decreased (P < 0.05), while they were increased in the CCDC134 group (P < 0.05). The expression of BMP-2/SMAD1 signaling decreased in the shCCDC134 group, while it increased in the CCDC134 group (P < 0.05). Compared to the shCCDC134 group, osteogenic genes and proteins increased in the shCCDC134+BMP-2 group, and subcutaneous new bone formation increased in nude mice (P < 0.05). The indexes of the CCDC134+Dorsomorphin group decreased compared with the CCDC134 group (P < 0.05).@*Conclusion@#CCDC134 promotes the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by regulating the BMP-2/SMAD1 signaling pathway.

Overcoming inter-subspecific hybrid sterility in rice by developing indica-compatible japonica lines.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important staple crop. The exploitation of the great heterosis that exists in the inter-subspecific crosses between the indica and japonica rice has long been considered as a promising way to increase the yield potential. However, the male and female sterility frequently occurred in the inter-subspecific hybrids hampered the utilization of the heterosis. Here we report that the inter-subspecific hybrid sterility in rice is mainly affected by the genes at Sb, Sc, Sd and Se loci for F1 male sterility and the gene at S5 locus for F1 female sterility. The indica-compatible japonica lines (ICJLs) developed by pyramiding the indica allele (S-i) at Sb, Sc, Sd and Se loci and the neutral allele (S-n) at S5 locus in japonica genetic background through marker-assisted selection are compatible with indica rice in pollen fertility and in spikelet fertility. These results showed a great promise of overcoming the inter-subspecific hybrid sterility and exploiting the heterosis by developing ICJLs.

[Substitution mapping of QTL for panicle exertion using CSSL in rice (Oryza sativa L.)].

Panicle exertion, the distance between the leaf cushion of flag and the neck-panicle node, is an important morphological trait, which has significant impact on hybrid seed production of rice. In this study, 94 chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSL), derived from 9311/Nipponbare with 9311 as the recurrent parent, were used to analyze quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling the panicle exertion. The results showed that 17 CSSL contained QTL for the panicle exertion. Using substitution mapping, 8 QTLs were mapped on rice chromosomes 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 11, respectively. The QTL additive effect ranged from 0.10 to 3.20, and the additive effects of qPE-9 and qPE-11 were 3.15 and 2.95, respectively, showing the feature of a major gene. In addition, qPE-2-2, qPE-3-1, qPE-3-2, qPE-7, and qPE-8 were mapped in a marker interval less than 10.0 cM. Mapping of the QTL has laid a foundation for improving the panicle exertion with marker-assisted selection and cloning of the QTL in rice.