Retrospective analysis of the effects of impacted third molar on hematologic patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the incidence, treatment status, and impact position of impacted third molars (ITM) and their effects on patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 454 patients who underwent HSCT, out of which 188 patients had ITM. The presence of ITM and its association with transplant-related infections and complications were recorded and analyzed. Results: Patients with ITM were significantly younger. The number of mandibular ITM was notably higher than maxillary ones, and the risk of pericoronitis in mandibular ITM was significantly higher than in maxillary ones. Out of 311 ITM in 188 patients, 25 were extracted before transplantation. The proportion of extraction and treatment for ITM with pericoronitis or caries was significantly higher than that for ITM without such problems. Moreover, patients with a history of pre-transplant pericoronitis had a significantly higher probability of developing tooth-related complications during transplantation, caused by pericoronitis in ITM compared to patients without a history of pericoronitis. Conclusion: Pre-transplant examination and treatment of ITM are essential, especially in cases with a history of pericoronitis. Oral intervention can significantly reduce the occurrence of tooth-related complications related to ITM during transplantation.

Influence of periodontal status on patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A retrospective analysis.

Objective: This retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the prevalence of periodontitis in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and investigate the effects of various periodontal statuses and risk factors on oral infection incidence. Study design: Medical records of patients pre- and post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from June 2019 to October 2021were reviewed. The study examined the effort of different periodontal statuses on oral complications and infections in patients during transplantation. Results: Of 549 transplant patients studied, 363 had periodontitis. Patients with or without periodontitis showed significant differences in mean age, male proportion, and mucositis incidence during transplantation (P < 0.05). Bacteremia rates were slightly higher in patients with periodontitis, but not significant. Male proportion, age, and hospitalization duration significantly increased with advancing periodontitis stages. Only two patients experienced periodontal complications, that were effectively managed and did not interfere in the grafting process. Conclusion: Periodontitis is prevalent in patients with hematopoietic diseases. Despite its association with oral mucositis, the occurrence of periodontal infection remains low and controllable.

Identification of senescence-associated long non-coding RNAs to predict prognosis and immune microenvironment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Cellular senescence plays a complicated and vital role in cancer development because of its divergent effects on tumorigenicity. However, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with tumor senescence and their prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unexplored. Methods: The trans-cancer oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) signature was determined by gene set variation analysis (GSVA) in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) dataset. The OIS-related lncRNAs were identified by correlation analyses. Cox regression analyses were used to screen lncRNAs associated with prognosis, and an optimal predictive model was created by regression analysis of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The performance of the model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, nomograms, stratified survival analyses, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) were carried out to explore the functional relevance and immune cell infiltration, respectively. Results: Firstly, we examined the pan-cancer OIS signature, and found several types of cancer with OIS strongly associated with the survival of patients, including HCC. Subsequently, based on the OIS signature, we identified 76 OIS-related lncRNAs with prognostic values in HCC. We then established an optimal prognostic model based on 11 (including NRAV, AC015908.3, MIR100HG, AL365203.2, AC009005.1, SNHG3, LINC01138, AC090192.2, AC008622.2, AL139423.1, and AC026356.1) of these lncRNAs by LASSO-Cox regression analysis. It was then confirmed that the risk score was an independent and potential risk indicator for overall survival (OS) (HR [95% CI] = 4.90 [2.74-8.70], p < 0.001), which outperforms those traditional clinicopathological factors. Furthermore, patients with higher risk scores also showed more advanced levels of a proinflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), higher infiltration of regulatory T (Treg) cells and lower infiltration of naïve B cells, suggesting the regulatory effects of OIS on immune microenvironment. Additionally, we identified NRAV as a representative OIS-related lncRNA, which is over-expressed in HCC tumors mainly driven by DNA hypomethylation. Conclusion: Based on 11 OIS-related lncRNAs, we established a promising prognostic predictor for HCC patients, and highlighted the potential immune microenvironment-modulatory roles of OIS in HCC, providing a broad molecular perspective of tumor senescence.

[Short-term and long-term effects of all-ceramic onlay on restoration of premolars and its influence on dental function].

PURPOSE: To investigate the short-term and long-term effects of all-ceramic onlay on restoration of premolars and its influence on dental function. METHODS: Ninety-five premolars receiving root canal treatment in People's Hospital of Peking University from January 2017 to January 2018 were enrolled, and randomly divided into two groups based on different repairing methods. Patients in the control group (n=47) received full crown restoration, while patients in the experimental group(n=48) received all-ceramic onlay restoration. The success, survival and failure rates of the teeth were compared. The United States Public Health Service(USPHS) and occlusal function of the prosthesis were compared 6, 12 and 36 months after treatment. The data were processed using SPSS 19.0 software package. RESULTS: The success and survival rate of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group, but without significant difference (P＞0.05). The morphology, marginal integrity, marginal coloration, surface texture, secondary caries, gingival health and proximal contacts showed no significant difference between the two groups 12 months after treatment(P＞0.05). Thirty-six months after treatment, the marginal integrity, marginal coloration and surface texture showed no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05), while the morphology, secondary caries, gingival health and proximal contacts were significantly better in the experimental group than in the control group (P＜0.05). The occlusal function between the affected side and contralateral side of both groups showed no significant difference 6, 12 and 36 months after treatment(P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: All-ceramic onlay restoration of premolars has high success and survival rate, and good short-term and long-term restoration effect, which is beneficial to improve the occlusal function of the affected teeth.

Pulmonary delivery of liposomes co-loaded with SN38 prodrug and curcumin for the treatment of lung cancer.

A co-delivery system of SN38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxyl camptothecin) prodrug and CUR (curcumin) was designed for the treatment of lung cancer by pulmonary delivery. SN38 was linked to cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) TAT via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker to form the SN38 prodrug (TAT-PEG-SN38). Liposomes co-loaded with amphiphilic TAT-PEG-SN38 and curcumin (Lip-TAT-PEG-SN38/CUR) were successfully prepared by a microfluidic method for the treatment of lung cancer via pulmonary delivery. Lip-TAT-PEG-SN38/CUR showed nanometer-sized sphericity and a particle size of 171.21 nm. Besides, Lip-TAT-PEG-SN38/CUR exhibited enhanced antiproliferative effect, increased cell apoptosis induction and improved cell cycle arrest compared to the single agents in vitro. The combination induced significant tumor inhibition in a BALB/c mouse lung cancer model. These results indicated that our SN38 prodrug and curcumin co-delivery system was a promising candidate for lung cancer treatment.

Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Systems of RNAi in Cancer Therapy.

RNA interference (RNAi) can mediate gene-silencing by knocking down the expression of a target gene via cellular machinery with much higher efficiency in contrast to other antisense-based approaches which represents an emerging therapeutic strategy for combating cancer. Distinct characters of nanoparticles, such as distinctive size, are fundamental for the efficient delivery of RNAi therapeutics, allowing for higher targeting and safety. In this review, we present the mechanism of RNAi and briefly describe the hurdles and concerns of RNAi as a cancer treatment approach in systemic delivery. Furthermore, the current nanovectors for effective tumor delivery of RNAi therapeutics are classified, and the characteristics of different nanocarriers are summarized.

Synthesis, preliminarily biological evaluation and molecular docking study of new Olaparib analogues as multifunctional PARP-1 and cholinesterase inhibitors.

A series of new Olaparib derivatives was designed and synthesized, and their inhibitory activities against poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases-1 (PARP-1) enzyme and cancer cell line MDA-MB-436 in vitro were evaluated. The results showed that compound 5l exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects on PARP-1 enzyme (16.10 ± 1.25 nM) and MDA-MB-436 cancer cell (11.62 ± 2.15 µM), which was close to that of Olaparib. As a PARP-1 inhibitor had been reported to be viable to neuroprotection, in order to search for new multitarget-directed ligands (MTDLs) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the inhibitory activities of the synthesized compounds against the enzymes AChE (from electric eel) and BChE (from equine serum) were also tested. Compound 5l displayed moderate BChE inhibitory activity (9.16 ± 0.91 µM) which was stronger than neostigmine (12.01 ± 0.45 µM) and exhibited selectivity for BChE over AChE to some degree. Molecular docking studies indicated that 5l could bind simultaneously to the catalytic active of PARP-1, but it could not interact well with huBChE. For pursuit of PARP-1 and BChE dual-targeted inhibitors against AD, small and flexible non-polar groups introduced to the compound seemed to be conducive to improving its inhibitory potency on huBChE, while keeping phthalazine-1-one moiety unchanged which was mainly responsible for PARP-1 inhibitory activity. Our research gave a clue to search for new agents based on AChE and PARP-1 dual-inhibited activities to treat Alzheimer's disease.

In silico identification of AChE and PARP-1 dual-targeted inhibitors of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the elderly that seriously affects the quality of life and the life expectancy of those affected. There is, as yet, no effective drug treatment of AD, although several acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and a glutamate antagonist can provide relief from its symptoms. Recent studies have indicated that the overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) may promote nerve cell death in the brains of AD patients, implying that PARP-1 inhibition may have therapeutic value for the treatment of AD. Therefore, it is important to investigate novel agents with both AChE- and PARP-1-inhibitory bioactivities. In this study, the structure-based virtual screening of PARP-1 inhibitors was performed to search for potential agents with high affinities for AChE. The dynamic stability of the selected AChE-ligand complexes was investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Two compounds, CID57390505 and CID71605390, showed high affinities for and stability in complex with AChE in docking and MD simulations. Thus, our in silico research identified two compounds with AChE and PARP-1 dual-targeted activities, indicating that this technique could aid attempts to develop more potent agents against AD.

Effects of fucoxanthin on autophagy and apoptosis in SGC-7901cells and the mechanism.

Autophagy and apoptosis are involved in the development of a variety of cancers. Fucoxanthin is a natural compound known to have antitumor effects, so we aimed to explore its effects on autophagy and apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC7901 cells. Specifically, we performed methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay, transmission electron microscopy, real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence assay, and cell apoptosis analysis to clarify the role of fucoxanthin in SGC-7901 cells. Our results indicate that fucoxanthin significantly inhibits the viability of SGC-7901 cells, effectively inducing both autophagy and apoptosis by up-regulating the expressions of beclin-1, LC3, and cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), and by down regulating Bcl-2. Fucoxanthin-induced autophagy also seems to occur before, and may promote apoptosis.

Vasospastic myocardial infarction complicated with bilateral femoral arteries vasospasm.

Coronary vasospasm is an infrequent cause of acute coronary syndrome. Additionally, femoral artery spasm is not frequently encountered clinically. Here we present a case of a patient with an acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, secondary to a documented right coronary artery vasospasm, complicated with left coronary artery and femoral artery vasospasm. Intravenous ultrasound showed calcification at the sites of spasm. This case report indicates that coronary vasospasm should be regularly considered as part of the work up of myocardial infarction.

Antitumor activity of 4-O-Methylhonokiol in human oral cancer cells is mediated via ROS generation, disruption of mitochondrial potential, cell cycle arrest and modulation of Bcl-2/Bax proteins.

PURPOSE: The plant-derived natural product 4-O-methylhonokiol (MH) has been reported to possess tremendous pharmacological potential ranging from neuroprotection to anticancer activity. However, the anticancer activity of MH in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells has not been evaluated. In the present study, MH was evaluated for its anticancer activity against OSSC PE/CA-PJ41 cells and the possible underlying mechanism was determined. METHODS: Cell cytotoxicity was evaluated by colorimetrybased MTT assay while the effects on cell cycle phase distribution were assessed by flow cytometry. Effects of MH on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated by flow cytometry. Western blot assay was finally utilized to study the effects of MH on key cancer and apoptosis-linked proteins including Bax and Bcl-2. RESULTS: MH induced cytotoxicity in OSCC PE/CA-PJ41 cells with an observed IC50 of 1.25 µM. It also caused significant increase in the production of ROS and disrupted the MMP in a dose-dependent manner. The reduction in MMP favored mitochondrial apoptotic pathway which was further confirmed by determining the expression of Bax and Bcl-2. It was observed that MH downregulated the expression of Bax and upregulated the expression of MMP, ultimately leading to apoptosis of OSSC PE/CA-PJ41 cells. Additionally, MH also caused G2/M cell cycle arrest in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results indicate that 4-Omethylhonokiol may prove a potential natural anticancer molecule against human oral carcinoma cells.

A novel rat model of heart failure induced by high methionine diet showing evidence of association between hyperhomocysteinemia and activation of NF-kappaB.

Heart failure is one of the most serious diseases worldwide, and can be caused by many factors, among them hyperhomocysteinemia can increase the risk for development of heart failure. In this study, we treated rats with high methionine diet (HMD), which can be conversed to homocysteine in human body, to induce a novel model of heart failure. We proved the successful establishment of this model by echocardiography and pathological evaluation at the termination of treatment. Ejection fraction and fractional shortening were significantly deceased after HMD treatment, while left ventricular volume in systole was increased. HMD treatment caused hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes, disarrangement of myofibers, and infiltration of inflammatory cells, as well as abundant apoptotic cells appeared after HMD treatment. Plasmatic homocysteine level was elevated after HMD treatment. Furthermore, through electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation, the activity of NF-κB in nuclear extract was also significantly elevated, showing evidence of positive relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and activation of NF-κB in HMD-induced heart failure. The successful development and validation of this model have made it a new tool for translational medical research of metabolic disorders-related cardiovascular disease.

[Expression, roles and therapy target values of CD24 in oral squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression profile and potential roles of CD24 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and explore the values of CD24 function as a potential target of clinical therapy. METHODS: Semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry was used to construct the expression profile of CD24 in 78 human oral tissues and 59 Hamster buccal pouch tissues. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot were used to analyze the CD24 expression levels in oral DOK4 cells, oral cancer CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells. Then these two cancer cell lines were selected to evaluate the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and CD24 antibody on CD24 expression, and the proliferation and tumorsphere formation capacity of these two cell lines. RESULTS: CD24 expression was found significantly elevated in both human and animal tissues compared with normal and benign tissues (P<0.05), as well as in oral cancer CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells compared with DOK cells (P<0.05). CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells possess increased proliferative and specific tumorsphere formation capability compared with DOK cells (P<0.05). Both ATRA and CD24 antibody were able to effectively inhibit the proliferation and tumorsphere formation of CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells (P<0.05). Among them ATRA at least involved partially in the proliferation by down-regulating the CD24 expression (P<0.05), while CD24 antibody blocking had no effect on the CD24 expression. CONCLUSION: CD24 was upregulated in oral cancer and functioned as a potential factor that promoted the proliferation and tumorsphere formation of CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells. Both ATRA and CD24 antibody might effectively inhibit the proliferation and tumorsphere formation of CAL-27 and WSU-HN6 cells and function as a potential therapy target.

[Facial proportions and comparison of the Han and Uygur adult in Xinjiang area].

PURPOSE: To explore the vertical and horizontal proportions of the face and difference between the Han and Uygur normal adults in Xinjiang area. METHODS: According to certain standards, the adult Han and Uygur college students in Urumqi City were randomly selected for this study. These students were divided into male and female groups. Frontal photographs were taken for every subject in accordance with same standards. The data was imported into computer, with 20 standard anthropometric marks be determined, and 15 measurements were performed through Photoshop software. Independent sample t test was applied for measuring results by SPSS19.0 software package. RESULTS: The face of males were shorter and wider than that of females. Compared with the females, the males had bigger alar width. However, the Han adults had smaller palpebral fissure and mouth width, bigger alar and intercanthal compared with the Uygur adults. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there are significant differences between 2 nationalities and sexes in facial proportions in Xinjiang area.

Diffuse triple-vessel coronary spasm as a cause of asystole and syncope.

Vasospasm plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, including unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. Coronary artery spasm rarely involves different coronaries in the same time. Three-vessel spasm may be accompanied by ST-segment elevation, lethal arrhythmias, and syncope due to the wide extent of ischemia. In the present case, a patient with syncope secondary to documented diffuse vasospasm involving 3 major coronary arteries was reported. This case report indicated that in case of unexplained syncope, asystole secondary to coronary artery spasm should be considered as a possible cause.

[Three years retrospective clinical evaluation of endodontically treated premolars restored by cast ceramic onlays].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the success and survival rate of endodontically treated premolars restored by ceramic onlays by comparing restored by quartz fiber posts and metal ceramic crowns. METHODS: Ninety-four patients with 126 endodontically treated premolars were enrolled in this study and divided into 4 groups according to the remaining axial walls and restorative methods. The observation time was 36 months. The success and survival rates of the restorations, as well as causes of failures, were analyzed. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, the success and survival rates of the mild defect endodontically treated premolars were restored by quartz fiber posts and the crowns were at 96.3% and 98.1%; the success and survival rates of the severe defect premolars restored by quartz fiber posts and crowns were at 88.5% and 96.2%. The success and survival rates of the mild defect premolars restored by cast ceramic onlays were both at 96.6%, the success and survival rates of the severe defect premolars restored by cast ceramic onlays were at 94.1% and 100%, respectively. The success and survival rates of the different groups were no significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the results and within the limits of this study, cast ceramic onlays is a very reliable method to restore endodontically treated premolars.

[Profile analysis and comparison of the Han and Uygur adult in Xinjiang area].

PURPOSE: To obtain the profile and difference between the Han and Uygur normal adult in Xinjiang area. METHODS: According to the accepted standards, the Han and Uygur college students in Urumqi city were randomly selected for this study. These students were divided into 2 groups according to gender. Profiles were taken for every subject in accordance with same standards respectively. The data were imported into computer. Photoshop software was used for measuring the profiles in many measurement projects at fixed point. Independent sample t test was applied for achieved data with SPSS19.0 software package. RESULTS: The lip protrusion of the male was larger than that of the female and the tip of nose was the opposite. However, the Han adults have protruding lips, underdeveloped chin and upturned nose compared with the Uygur adults. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences of profile between 2 nationalities and sexes in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Morphology of bacterial flora in root canals associated with apical abscesses.

BACKGROUND: Apical abscess is an inflammatory process in the peri-radicular tissues caused by biofilms in the necrotic root canal systems. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the bacterial colonization is required for a better understanding of the pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of bacterial infection of root canals of teeth with apical abscesses and to determine whether histological and microbiological findings correlated with clinical conditions. METHODS: Eighteen samples from 18 teeth with apical pathological lesions were analyzed. Nine patients with acute apical abscesses experienced severe pain, and nine patients were asymptomatic with a sinus tract. After extraction, each affected root was divided into two halves. One half was processed for histobacteriologic analysis and examined using light microscopy, and the other half was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the patterns of microbial colonization of the root canals. RESULTS: The appearance of each sample subjected to SEM was consistent with the histobacteriologic findings despite the presence or absence of clinical symptoms. Intraradicular biofilms comprising cocci, rods, and/or filaments of amorphous materials were observed in the apical third of the main root canals in all samples. The bacterial biofilms covering the main root canal walls also penetrated the dentinal tubules to varying depths. The morphologies of biofilms varied, and a unique pattern of intraradicular infection was not identified. CONCLUSION: Intraradicular infections formed complex and variable multispecies biofilms and their presence did not correlate with clinical symptoms.

[Fatigue and fracture resistance of the flared roots restored with computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing glass fiber posts].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the fatigue and fracture resistance of the flared roots restored with computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) glass fiber posts. METHODS: In the study, 32 maxillary central incisors with roots longer than 13 mm were selected and their canals were flared, and the roots were allocated into 4 groups (n=8) by a random number chart: CAD/CAM glass fiber posts, prefabricated quartz fiber posts, cast gold alloy posts, and CAD/CAM zirconia posts. The posts were luted to the roots by resin cement and fabricate zirconia crown for every specimen. An addition-type silicone impression material was used to simulate the periodontal ligament. All the specimens were submitted to 1.2×10(6) cycles loaded with a 49 N force, at 45 degree to the long axis of the teeth simultaneously with 3 000 thermal cycles (5 °C-50 °C-5 °C). After that, the specimens were subjected to a load at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min in a servo-hydraulic testing machine applied at 45 degree to the long axis of the tooth until fracture. The data were subjected to ANOVA test and the patterns of the failure were examined. RESULTS: After the cycling loading, 4 crowns from prefabricated quartz fiber posts groups were deboned, and no other failure was found after the cycling loading; the fracture strengths of CAD/CAM glass fiber posts group [(441.5± 103.2) N] and cast gold alloy posts group [(462.9±170.0) N] were higher (F=4.613, P<0.05) than those of CAD/CAM zirconia posts group [(284.1±99.0) N] and prefabricated quartz fiber posts group [(315.4±112.3) N]; the entire specimens presented unfavorable failures. CONCLUSION: Although further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary, the results of this study show that the use of CAD/CAM glass fiber posts and cast gold alloy posts may achieve better outcomes in flared roots than that of CAD/CAM zirconia posts and prefabricated quartz fiber posts.

[Clinical analysis of 71 patients with oral mucositis following hematopoietic stem cells transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the incidence, influence factors and treatment methods of oral mucositis (OM) following hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: A clinical analysis about the total 71 OM cases occurring after HSCT among 166 patients in Peking University People's Hospital during 2009 was completed. RESULTS: The healing rate of OM was 95.77% and the average healing time was (17.61 +/- 8.36) d after HSCT. There were no obvious effects of gender, age, HLA matches, conditioning regimen to the healing time of OM (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gender, age, HLA matches and conditioning regimen have no obvious effects on healing time. By given timely and effective treatment, the incidence of OM can be reduced and even severe OM can also be well cured.