[Establishment of a nomogram model to predict the risk of peri-implantitis in patients with diabetes mellitus].

PURPOSE: To explore the risk factors of peri-implantitis after dental implants in diabetic patients, and establish a related nomogram prediction model. METHODS: The clinical data of diabetic patients undergoing dental implant restoration from January 2016 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed , and cluster random sampling method was used to divide the data into training set (n=153) and validation set (n=104). Univariate and Logistic regression were used to analyze the independent risk factors of peri-implantitis in diabetic patients. At the same time, the relevant nomogram prediction model was established, and the model was internally verified by Bootstrap method. The external verification was completed by self sampling method of verification set. SPSS 22.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Smoking index>200 cigarettes(OR=6.364, 95%CI: 1.943-20.840), HbA1c>7%(OR=4.680, 95%CI: 1.497-14.628), periodontal history (OR=3.779, 95%CI: 1.359-10.507), anterior teeth implantation(OR=7.183, 95%CI: 2.371-21.756), tooth brushing frequency ≤1 time/day (OR=4.796, 95%CI: 1.471-15.637) and unscheduled cleaning (OR=4.994, 95%CI: 1.745-14.295) were independent risk factors for peri-implantitis after dental implantation in diabetic patients (P<0.05). Based on the above 6 risk factors, a nomogram model to predict the occurrence of peri-implantitis in diabetic patients was established. The calibration curve verification showed that the predicted values of the training set and the verification set were basically the same as the actual measured values, and ROC curve verification showed C-index indexes of the training set and the verification set were 0.867 and 0.822, respectively, indicating that the nomogram model had good prediction accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking index>200 cigarettes, HbA1c>7%, periodontal history, anterior dental implantation, brushing frequency ≤1 time/day and unscheduled cleaning are independent risk factors for peri-implantitis in diabetic patients based on the above risk factors. The line graph model can intuitively and accurately predict the probability of peri-implantitis in diabetic patients.

Joint Exploration of Favorable Haplotypes for Mineral Concentrations in Milled Grains of Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Grain minerals in rice, especially those in milled grains, are important sources of micro-nutrition elements, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se), and of toxic heavy metal elements, especially cadmium (Cd), for populations consuming a rice diet. To date, the genetic mechanism underlying grain mineral concentrations (GMCs) in milled grain remains largely unknown. In this report, we adopted a set of 698 germplasms consisting of two subsets [indica/Xian (X-set) and japonica/Geng (G-set)], to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting GMC traits of Fe, Zn, Cd, Mn, Cu, and Se in milled grains. A total of 47 QTL regions, including 18 loci and 29 clusters (covering 62 Cd loci), responsible for the GMCs in milled grains were detected throughout the genome. A joint exploration of favorable haplotypes of candidate genes was carried out as follows: (1) By comparative mapping, 10 chromosome regions were found to be consistent with our previously detected QTL from linkage mapping. (2) Within eight of these regions on chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8, candidate genes were identified in the genome annotation database. (3) A total of 192 candidate genes were then submitted to further haplotype analysis using million-scale single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the X-set and the G-set. (4) Finally, 37 genes (19.3%) were found to be significant in the association between the QTL targeting traits and the haplotype variations by pair-wise comparison. (5) The phenotypic values for the haplotypes of each candidate were plotted. Three zinc finger (like) genes within two candidate QTL regions (qFe6-2 and qZn7), and three major GMC traits (Fe, Zn, and Cd) were picked as sample cases, in addition to non-exhausted cross validations, to elucidate this kind of association by trait value plotting. Taken together, our results, especially the 37 genes with favorable haplotype variations, will be useful for rice biofortification molecular breeding.

ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signal channels simultaneously activated in nerve cell and axon after facial nerve injury.

BACKGROUND: The in-vitro study indicated that ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signal channels may play an important role in reparative regeneration process after peripheral nerve injury. But, relevant in-vivo study was infrequent. In particular, there has been no report on simultaneous activation of ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signal channels in facial nerve cell and axon after facial nerve injury. RESULTS: The expression of P-ERK enhanced in nerve cells at the injury side on the 1 d after the rat facial nerve was cut and kept on a higher level until 14 d, but decreased on 28 d. The expression of P-AKT enhanced in nerve cells at the injury side on 1 d after injury, and kept on a higher level until 28 d. The expression of P-ERK enhanced at the near and far sections of the injured axon on 1 d, then increased gradually and reached the maximum on 7 d, but decreased on 14 d, until down to the level before the injury on 28 d. The expression of P-AKT obviously enhanced in the injured axon on 1 d, especially in the axon of the rear section, but decreased in the axon of the rear section on 7 d, while the expression of axon in the far section increased to the maximum and kept on till 14 d. On 28 d, the expression of P-AKT decreased in both rear and far sections of the axon. CONCLUSION: The facial nerve simultaneously activated ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signal channels in facial nerve cells and axons after the cut injury, but the expression levels of P-ERK and P-AKT varied as the function of the time. In particular, they were quite different in axon of the far section. It has been speculated that two signal channels might have different functions after nerve injury. However, their specific regulating effects should still be testified by further studies in regenerative process of peripheral nerve injury.

Available Evidence of Association between Zika Virus and Microcephaly.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the possible association between the Zika virus (ZIKV) and microcephaly and understand where we are in terms of research and the debate on the causation between mild maternal clinical features and severe fetal microcephaly. DATA SOURCES: We did a comprehensive literature review with the keywords "zika" and/or "microcephaly" from inception to May 27, 2016, with PubMed. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included and analyzed if they met all of the following criteria: "probable or confirmed infant microcephaly" and "probable or confirmed ZIKV infection among mothers or infants". RESULTS: We emphasize the diagnosis of ZIKV infection, including maternal clinical manifestations, maternal and fetal laboratory confirmation, and possible autopsy if need. Other confounders that may lead to microcephaly should be excluded from the study. We presented the results from clinical manifestations of ZIKV infection, testing methods evolving but the mechanism of microcephaly uncertain, flexible definition challenging the diagnosis of microcephaly, and limited causal reference on pregnant women. We made analog comparison of severe acute respiratory syndrome and chikungunya virus in terms of DNA mutation and global movement to provide further research recommendation. The chance of catch-up growth may decrease the number of pervious "diagnosed" microcephaly. CONCLUSIONS: There are some evidence available through mice models and direct isolation of ZIKV in affected pregnancies on kindly causal relationship but not convincible enough. We analyzed and presented the weakness or limitation of published reports with the desire to shed light to further study directions.

[Spectrophotometric determination of aromatic amino compounds with J-acid].

The problems such as chromogenic reaction selectivity, reaction rate, sensitivity and water-solubility of azo compounds were considered. The molecular structures of coupling components were theoretically designed and screened in the present research The reaction conditions and methods of chromogenic reaction were investigated. J-Acid (2-amino-5-naphthol-7-sulfonic acid) as a coupling reagent to determine aromatic amino compounds was established. In the presence of potassium bromide, at room temperature, nitrite reacted with aromatic amino compounds in the medium of thin hydrochloric acid. Then diazonium salt reacted with J-Acid in the aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, forming coloured azo dye, which had a maximum adsorption at 480 nm. The molar adsorption coeffcients of aniline, 4-aminobenzene sulfonic acid and 1-naphthylamine were 3. 95 X 10(4), 3. 24 X 10(4) and 3. 91 X 10(4) L . mol-1 . cm-1 , respectively. Experimental results showed that common coexisting ions on the surface water did not affect the results of determination. J-Acid of spectrophotometry was used to determine the samples of Shanghai Fu Xing Dao canal. Meanwhile, recovery experiments by standard addition method were done. Experiment results showed that the recoveries of aniline were in the range of 98. 5%-102. 1%, and RSD was 2. 08%. J-Acid is a common organic reagent. It is soluble in water and low volatile, and its toxicity is much lower than N-ethylenediamine. spectrophotometric determination of aromatic amino compounds by J-Acid has the advantage of high sensitivity, good selectivity, simple rapid operation and accurate results, and thus it can be used for the determination of trace aromatic amino compounds in the environmental water.

The expression and functional role of a FOXC1 related mRNA-lncRNA pair in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The Fork head box C1 (FOXC1) gene is overexpressed in multiple malignant tumors and is functionally correlated with tumor progression. However, its' role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still unclear. Recent studies have revealed that many long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) cooperate with adjacent coding genes and form a functional "lncRNA-mRNA pair". In this study, we report a new lncRNA FOXC1 upstream transcript (FOXCUT) that was remarkably overexpressed in 23 OSCC patients, as was the adjacent FOXC1 gene. The expressions of FOXC1 and FOXCUT were positively correlated. When the expression of FOXCUT was down-regulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of FOXC1 was also decreased. Moreover, in OSCC cells Tca8113 and SCC-9, down-regulation of either FOXC1 or FOXCUT by siRNA could inhibit cell proliferation and cell migration in vitro and was accompanied with a reduction of MMP2, MMP7, MMP9, and VEGF-A. In conclusion, FOXC1 may be co-amplified with FOXCUT in OSCC, and both of them may be functionally involved in the tumor progression of OSCC. This provides evidence that both FOXC1 and FOXCUT may serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in OSCC patients who overexpress this "lncRNA-mRNA pair".