Periodontitis-induced oral microbiome alterations provide clues on how periodontitis exacerbates colitis.

AIM: To evaluate whether and how microbiota-derived metabolites associated with periodontitis aggravate colitis in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse model of periodontitis and colitis was constructed. Unbiased transcriptomic analyses of the colon were performed to explore important pathways through which periodontitis exacerbated colitis. Oral and gut bacteria were analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to observe the alterations of oral and gut metabolites. Isolated intestinal lamina propria lymphocytes were analysed by flow cytometry. Inflammasome pathway was detected using qRT-PCR, Western blotting or ELISA. RESULTS: Periodontitis activated the colonic inflammasome pathway and altered the gut microbial composition and metabolite profiles in mice with colitis. Notably, periodontitis induced increase of the faecal metabolite isoleucine (Ile) which was synthesized by microbiota and plants. Moreover, periodontitis upregulated the Ile levels in saliva, but not in serum, indicating that Ile might be an oral pathobiont-synthesizing metabolite that transited from the oral cavity to the gut. Ile triggered the inflammasome pathway, upregulated the number of inflammatory IL-1ßhigh MHCIIhigh Ly6Chigh monocytes in colonic lamina propria, and exacerbated colitis. Further studies found that the Ile metabolite acetyl-coenzyme A positively regulated NLRP3 inflammasome by KAT5-mediated acetylation of NLRP3. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that alteration in periodontitis-induced microbial metabolites deteriorated colitis in a mouse model and that this was associated with Ile production.

Association of Sleep Duration and Screen Time With Anxiety of Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the patterns of lifestyle and posed psychological stress on pregnant women. However, the association of sleep duration and screen time with anxiety among pregnant women under the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic scenario has been poorly addressed. We conducted one large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study which recruited 1794 pregnant women across middle and west China. Self-reported demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and mental health status were collected from 6th February to 8th May 2020. We investigated the association of sleep duration and screen time with the risk of anxiety by multivariable logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis after adjusting potential confounders. The dose-response relationship of sleep duration and screen time with anxiety was visualized using a cubic spline plot. Our data revealed that almost 35% of pregnant women suffered from anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep duration was dose-dependently associated with a lower risk of anxiety among pregnant women (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27-0.63), while screen time exhibited a conversed effect (OR = 2.01, 95% CI:1.00-4.39). Notably, sleep duration (≥8 h/day) synergistically combined with screen time (3-7 h/day) to diminish the risk of anxiety (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.50-0.99). Taken together, sleep duration and screen time were independently and jointly associated with anxiety (P < 0.05). Therefore, promoting a more active lifestyle and maintaining higher sleep quality could improve the mental health of pregnant women, especially under public health emergency.

The effect of implant neck microthread design on stress distribution of peri-implant bone with different level: A finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Significant research has proposed that the implant with microthread in the neck can significantly reduce marginal bone loss, but whether it is consistent in the condition of marginal bone loss is still unknown. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of microthread on stress distribution in peri-implant bone with different bone level using finite element analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A series of computational models of mandible segments with different bone resorption and implant models with or without microthread in the neck was installed by computer-aided design software. The simulated occlusal force of 150N was applied buccolingually on the top center point of implant. The FEA was performed, and the von Mises stress, principal stress and shear stress in peri-implant bone were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: In all models, the T-neck group exhibits higher von Mises stress and principal stress, as well as lower shear stress than S-neck group. Three types of stresses increase with the depth of bone resorption developed, but the differences of shear stress between two groups of implants were gradually decreased. CONCLUSION: The micro-thread design in implant neck can reduce marginal bone loss by decreasing shear stress in peri-implant bone, but this effect is gradually weakened with the decline of the marginal bone level.