Molecular epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection in sheep and goats in Henan province, China.

Q fever is a significant zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium. Although C. burnetii infection has been identified in various animal species, domestic ruminants serve as the primary reservoirs and main sources of human infection. Understanding of the epidemiology of C. burnetii in domestic ruminants is crucial for preventing and controlling of C. burnetii infection in humans. In this study, spleen tissues from sheep and goats were collected in Hennan province, China. Through PCR screening, C. burnetii was detected in sheep and goats in Henan province with an overall infection rate of 6.8 %. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis revealed that all newly identified C. burnetii strains shared a close genetic relationship with those found in humans worldwide. These findings highlight the high risk of C. burnetii infection among slaughterhouse workers and emphasize the importance of epidemiological studies that investigate samples from both humans and animals within the "One Health" framework. Such surveillance will contribute to a better understanding of the epidemic situation and aid in the development of effective prevention and control strategies for C. burnetii infections in humans.

Effect of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion on mandibular position / 口腔医学

Objective@#To explore the effect of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) on mandible position in the treatment of adult skeletal Class Ⅰ malocclusion with maxillary transverse deficiency. @*Methods@#In this retrospective study, 20 cases of adult skeletal Class Ⅰ malocclusion with maxillary transverse deficiency treated with MARPE in our hospital from July 2019 to March 2022 were selected as research objects. CBCT data of three time points before treatment (T0), immediately after expansion (T1) and six months after retention (T2) were collected. The head position was standardized and calibrated by Dolphin software, and then mandible landmarks (left and right Condylion, left and right Gonion, Menton) were positioned. The linear distance changes of each landmark relative to the reference plane of coronal plane, axial plane and sagittal plane were measured, which represented the sagittal, vertical and horizontal displacement of mandible respectively. Repeated measurement ANOVA and LSD multiple comparison were used to evaluate the position change of each landmark.@*Results @#The Menton and right Gonion rotated clockwise at T1, and relapsed to the initial position at T2. No lateral displacement of Menton was found.@*Conclusion@#When MARPE is used to treat skeletal Class Ⅰ malocclusion with maxillary transverse deficiency, it causes a transient clockwise rotation of the mandiblar. The mandible does not show sagittal, vertical and horizontal position changes in long-term evaluation.

Analysis of circRNAs profile in TNF-α treated DPSC.

BACKGROUND: Pulpitis often are characterized as sustained inflammation and impaired pulp self-repair. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the development of inflammation, but their influence in pulpitis is still unidentified, which was examined in our research. METHODS: In this study, TNF-α (20 ng/mL) was used to treat DPSCs, then MTS identified cell proliferation. The circRNAs profile in DPSCs with or without TNF-α treatment was evaluated using RNA sequencing and subsequently by bioinformatics analysis. After that, the circular structure was assessed using agarose gel electrophoresis, followed by Sanger sequencing. And the circRNAs expression was ratified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in cell and tissues samples. Additionally, the plausible mechanism of circRNAs was envisaged, and the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA linkage was plotted using Cytoscape. RESULTS: The treatment of TNF-α inhibited cell proliferation capabilities in DPSCs, which also made 1195 circRNA expressions undergo significant alterations. Among these changes, 11 circRNAs associated with inflammation were chosen for circular structure verification, and only seven circRNAs (hsa_circ_0001658, hsa_circ_0001978, hsa_circ_0003910, hsa_circ_0004314, hsa_circ_0004417, hsa_circ_0035915, and hsa_circ_0002545) had circular structure. Additionally, five circRNAs expressions (hsa_circ_0001978, hsa_circ_0003910, hsa_circ_0004314, hsa_circ_0004417, and hsa_circ_0035915) had significantly altered between with or without TNF-α treated DPSCs. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0001978 and hsa_circ_0004417 were increased in patients suffering from pulpitis. Furthermore, their ceRNA linkage and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis suggested that these two circRNAs may participate in the inflammation development of pulpitis via mitogen-activated protein kinase and the Wnt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the circRNAs profile was altered in TNF-α treated DPSCs. Also, hsa_circ_0001978 and hsa_circ_0004417 may be involved in the inflammation progress of pulpitis. These outcomes provided the latest information for additional research on pulpitis.

MicroRNA expression profiles in peri-miniscrew implant crevicular fluid in orthodontics: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: This study systematically evaluated microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns in peri-miniscrew implant crevicular fluid (PMICF) in orthodontic patients. METHODS: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to obtain miRNA profiles in PMICF or gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) collected from 3 healthy volunteers (H), 3 peri-implantitis patients (PMSII) and 5 periodontitis patients (P). MiRNA expression patterns were compared between normal and orthodontic PMICF and GCF. Differentially expressed miRNAs were estimated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Enrichment analyses of the gene targets controlled by these miRNAs were conducted by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. RESULTS: Compared with healthy donors, in PMSII patients, a total of 206 upregulated miRNAs and 152 downregulated miRNAs were detected in PMICF, while periodontitis patients had 333 upregulated miRNAs and 318 downregulated miRNAs. MiR-544a, miR-1245b-3p, miR-1825, miR-4291, miR-3689e, and miR-4477a were chosen randomly for further examination. qRT-PCR examination confirmed that the expression levels of miR-1245b-3p and miR-4291 were higher in PMSII than in H samples and that the expression levels of miR-1825 were higher in PMSII than in P samples. However, contrary to the NGS results, qRT-PCR analysis showed decreased expression of miR544a in PMSII. MiR3689e and miR4477a expression did not differ significantly among all samples. According to GO and KEGG pathway analyses of miR-1825, miR-4291, and miR-1245b-3p high enrichment of target genes involved in the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The NGS analysis of normal and orthodontic PMICF/CGF showed different miRNA profiles, which may lay the foundation for future research on the molecular mechanism of PMSII. miR-4291, miR-1245b-3p and miR-1825 may be used as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for PMSII.

Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Derived Microvesicles Promote Angiogenesis in Rat Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells In vitro.

Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) are a major component of the blood-brain barrier that maintains brain homeostasis. Preserving and restoring the normal biological functions of BMECs can reverse or reduce brain injury. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may promote brain vascular remodeling and restore normal endothelial function. As a novel vehicle for cell-cell communication, microvesicles (MVs) have varied biological functions. The present study investigated the biological effects of EPC-derived MVs (EPC-MVs) on BMECs in vitro. We isolated MVs from the supernatant of EPCs in a serum-depleted medium. BMECs were cultured alone or in the presence of EPC-MVs. BMEC viability and proliferation were evaluated with the Cell Counting Kit-8 and by flow cytometry, and the proangiogenic effect of EPC-MVs on BMECs was assessed with the transwell migration, wound healing, and tube formation assays. Our results showed that EPC-derived MVs labeled with DiI were internalized by cultured BMECs; this enhanced BMEC viability and promoted their proliferation. EPC-MVs also stimulated migration and tube formation in BMECs. These results demonstrate that EPC-derived MVs exert a proangiogenic effect on BMECs, which has potential applications in cell-free therapy for brain injury.

MicroRNA­149­3p inhibits cell proliferation by targeting AKT2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

MicroRNAs (miRs) exhibit oncogenic or tumor suppressive functions that contribute to the initiation and development of various types of human cancer. miR­149­3p has been reported to serve multiple roles in the regulation of proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis. However, the effects and detailed mechanism of miR­149­3p in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unclear. In the present study, miR­149­3p mimic, mimic control, miR­149­3p inhibitor and inhibitor control were transiently transfected into Cal27 and SCC­9 cells. The viability, proliferation and apoptosis of OSCC cells were determined using Cell Counting Kit­8, colony formation and Annexin V assays, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of miR­149­3p and AKT2 were determined by reverse transcription­quantitative PCR. The protein expression levels of AKT2, cleaved caspase­3 and cleaved PARP were examined by western blot analysis. The binding of miR­149­3p to the AKT2 3'­untranslated region was evaluated by a dual luciferase reporter assay. In the present study, overexpression of miR­149­3p reduced the viability and proliferation of OSCC cells. By contrast, increased cell viability and proliferation was observed in miR­149­3p­deficient OSCC cells. Dual luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR­149­3p significantly decreased the luciferase activity of the wild­type AKT2 3'­untranslated region. Moreover, overexpression of miR­149­3p downregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of AKT2, suggesting that miR­149­3p was a negative modulator of AKT2. Restoration of AKT2 efficiently reversed the miR­149­3p­mediated reduction in the proliferative capacity of OSCC cells. In addition, miR­149­3p enhanced the sensitivity of OSCC cells to the chemotherapeutic drug 5­fluorouracil. Taken together, the current findings revealed an inhibitory effect of miR­149­3p on the proliferation of OSCC cells through the post­transcriptional suppression of AKT2, and indicated a potential chemosensitizing function of miR­149­3p for the treatment of patients with OSCC.

Congenital lobar emphysema in bilateral lung lobes: a case report.

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare congenital anomaly of lung. It presents different respiratory symptoms due to affected lobar emphysema, compression atelectasis and mediastinal shift. It can affect one or more lobes. There is usually no typical clinical manifestation in clinic. Typical X-ray can help to diagnose. We report a case of neonatal CLE, which first appeared in the right middle lobar. After right middle lobe (RML) lobectomy, respiratory distress appeared again. Emphysema was found again in the left lower lung. The multiple lobes emphysema appear at different times, and this case occurred after lobectomy.

Effects of hypoxic-ischemic pre-treatment on microvesicles derived from endothelial progenitor cells.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have protective roles in ischemic injury due to their ability to improve endothelial function and modulate angiogenesis. Microvesicles (MVs) are small membrane particles released by various cell types, including EPCs, which affect various target cells by transferring carried genetic information, including microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs). Depending on the stimuli and cell types, MVs exert different functions. In the present study, oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) was used to mimic ischemic-hypoxic (HI) insult, where the effects of HI insult on EPC-derived MVs (EPC-MVs) were subsequently investigated. OGD induced Ca2+ influx in EPCs and increased the release of EPC-MVs compared with normoxic conditions. In addition, MVs prepared from EPCs cultured under normoxic conditions or OGD conditions (OGD-EMVs) had the ability to stimulate the proliferation of EPCs. Furthermore, OGD-EMVs induced stronger effects on proliferation, which may be associated with the upregulation of miR-210 in EPC-MVs. In conclusion, the present results indicated that HI insult promoted the release of MVs from EPCs and upregulated miR-210 in MVs, leading to positive modulation of the proliferation of EPCs cultured under normoxic conditions.

Study on the correlation parameters of Class II malocclusion in child tooth dentition early stage by using 3D technique.

OBJECTIVE: To record the dentition, jaw and facial growth and development of children with class II malocclusion at the age of 7-8 years old in the early dental transitional stage with 3D technology and to provide the study basis for the growth and development parameters of normal children and children with class II malocclusion. METHODS: Twenty-four children who were suffering class-II malocclusion in the early dental transitional stage and received treatment between July 2016 and July 2017 in our hospital were selected as the study group, and 20 healthy children were selected as the control group in the same period. SIRONA CEREC dentition scanning, 3D reconstruction of the lower mandible and 3d MD face scanning were performed on the children. Relevant data were recorded and compared. RESULTS: The dentition scanning results suggested that the study group had significantly larger anterior overbite and anterior overjet and smaller width of the upper arch than the control group; there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The 3D reconstruction of the lower mandible suggested that the study group had smaller Go angle and SNB angle and shorter ANS-Me distance, Go-Me distance and N-Me distance compared to the control group; the differences had statistical significance (P<0.05). The face scanning results demonstrated that the nasolabial angle and facial convexity angle of the study group were significantly larger than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The dentition scanning results suggested that the study group had significantly larger anterior overbite and anterior overjet and smaller width of the upper arch than the control group; there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The 3D reconstruction of the lower mandible suggested that the study group had smaller Go angle and SNB angle and shorter ANS-Me distance, Go-Me distance and N-Me distance compared to the control group; the differences had statistical significance (P<0.05). The face scanning results demonstrated that the nasolabial angle and facial convexity angle of the study group were significantly larger than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

[Comparison of mesiodistal tooth angulations determined through traditional panoramic radiographs and cone beam CT panoramic images].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy of mesiodistal tooth angulation measurements by using traditional panoramic radiographs and cone beam CT (CBCT) panoramic images. METHODS: Plaster models of 15 volunteers with individual normal occlusions were collected. The functional occlusal plane and tooth long axis on the plaster models were marked from the right first molar to the left first molar in the upper and lower dental arches. A radiographic stent, which contains radiopaque markers near the functional occlusal plane and approximating the root axis, was fabricated for each model. Traditional panoramic radiographs and CBCT scan images were obtained from each patient, with the radiographic stent seated on the dentition. A panoramic image reconstruction was made from the CBCT volumetric data by using related software. The CBCT panoramic image data were oriented parallel to the maxillary or mandibular functional occlusal plane containing all the radiopaque markers when measuring the maxillary or mandibular teeth, respectively. The mesiodistal tooth angulations of the plaster model, traditional panoramic radiographs, and CBCT panoramic images were measured and compared. Multivariate analysis of variance and Dunnett-t test were performed to compare the differences among the three methods. RESULTS: The difference among the three methods was statistically significant (P = 0.00). Significant differences compared with the model measurement were found in two teeth (upper second premolar and lower second premolar) among twelve teeth (P = 0.00) in traditional panoramic measurement. CBCT panoramic measurement was not significantly different to model measurement. CONCLUSION: Traditional panoramic radiographs do not provide a more reliable measure of mesiodistal tooth angulation, whereas CBCT panoramic image is an tool for evaluating mesiodistal tooth angulation.

[The effect of premolar extraction models on Bolton overall ratio among different classes of malocclusion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different premolar extraction models on postextraction Bolton overall ratio among different classes of malocclusion. METHODS: 180 patients with equivalent skeletal and dental classifications were chosen(Group I, II and III, with 60 per group). According to dental casts, the Bolton overall ratios of each group were measured and compared before and after hypothetical premolar extraction (the four premolar extraction models were all first premolars, all second premolars, upper first and lower second premolars, and upper second and lower first premolars). Chi-square Test analysis was taken within each group in order to compare the abnormal rates of postextraction Bolton overall ratios. RESULTS: The differences of pretreatment Bolton overall ratios among three types of malocclusions were found statistically significant (P=0.000). For Class I and Class II group, the four extraction models made no statistically significant differences in the abnormal rates of postextraction Bolton overall ratio (P>0.05). For Class III group, the four extraction models made statistically different results that was the upper second and lower first premolar extraction model creating lower abnormal rates than the upper first and lower second premolar extraction model (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: As far as the postextraction Bolton overall ratios are concerned, Class I and II malocclusions can choose any of four premolar extraction models, while to Class III malocclusions, the upper second and lower first premolar extraction model fits better than the upper first and lower second premolar extraction model.