To what extent is oral and maxillofacial surgery educational content posted on Instagram?

Hashtags on Instagram help users globally search for posts to their liking. This study aimed to determine who posts the most popular oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) hashtags on Instagram and to evaluate the impact of educational content. The posts were analyzed for the type of post and differences between content creators when posting OMS-related content. This cross-sectional study evaluated OMS content categorized by 36 hashtags. The top 9 posts with each hashtag were evaluated based on the type of content creator, if it was a video or picture, and if it was educational or for marketing purposes. 6 million posts existed among 36 hashtags. Regarding the categories of person/organization posting the content (US or non-US oral and maxillofacial surgeon, residency program, patient, and 'other'), the top posts (N = 295) were posted by 'other' and the least by 'residency program'. Among the posts by non-US oral and maxillofacial surgeons, there was 3.8-fold more marketing content, while among the posts by US oral and maxillofacial surgeons, there was 2-fold more educational content. Educational posts achieved the highest engagement in terms of 'likes'. This study highlights how oral and maxillofacial surgeons can educate the general population and expand their reach.

Muscle-derived stem cells in silk fibroin hydrogels promotes muscle regeneration and angiogenesis in sheep models: an experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: Silk fibroin (SF) hydrogels are of high interest in tissue engineering. However, angiogenesis is one of the major challenges in tissue regeneration and repair. In this study, we present a simple and effective method to develop a 1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylglycerol sodium salt (DMPG)-SF hydrogel. The SF hydrogels had no immunogenicity and approached natural tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SF scaffolds were first prepared from Bombyx mori silkworms and DMPG. The SF scaffold was seeded with muscle-derived stem cells derived from sheep embryo and implanted in the tibialis anterior muscle of mature sheep. Gelation time, H&E staining, and histochemistry were conducted and observed. The suitability of the hydrogels for 3D cell culture was assessed by living cell stain CM-Dil. RESULTS: The results showed that the SF hydrogels resembled the mechanical properties of natural soft tissues better. The results of H&E staining and histochemistry revealed that the degradation rate showed an S-type change, and muscle regeneration and angiogenesis were clearly visible. Adverse effects were not observed in the sheep models. CONCLUSIONS: DMPG-induced SF hydrogels can be successfully used for in situ cell encapsulation. It provides promising opportunities in biomedical applications, such as in tissue engineering and regeneration.

[Teleost Type 2 Interleukin-1 Receptor (IL-1R2) from the Spotted Halibut (Verasper variegatus): 3D Structure and a Role in Immune Response].

The type 2 interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R2) is one of natural IL-1ß singling inhibitors in mammals. We cloned and sequenced the IL-1R2 gene in V. variegatus (VvIL-1R2). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the molecular structure VvIL-1R2 is similar to that of its orthologues in other vertebrates. The expression levels of VvIL-1R2 are relatively high in the peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs), gill, and spleen. In addition, peculiar expression patterns for his molecule were detected at various developmental stages, implying that in flatfishes the IL-1R2 may have be important for embryonic development and metamorphosis. In PBLs, the treatment with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) induced a significant and rapid up-regulation of VvIL-1R2, pointing at its involvement in the immune responses against bacterial and viral pathogens.

[Transplantation of cardiac stem cells overexpressing integrin-linked kinase improves cardiac function in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To investigate the effect of cardiac stem cells (CSC) overexpressing integrin-linked kinase (ILK-CSC) transplantation on cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI) and related mechanism. Methods: CSCs were isolated from the hearts of neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and ILK-CSC were established by transfecting recombinant adenoviral vector harboring human wild-type ILK cDNA. Forty 8-week-old rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10 each group): sham group, MI plus saline injection group(saline group), MI plus CSC transfected with null vector injection group (Ad-null-CSC group), and MI plus ILK-CSC injection group(ILK-CSC group). MI was induced through coronary artery ligation, and after 15 minutes, 30 µl saline, Ad-null-CSC (1×10(5) cells/30 µl) or ILK-CSC (1×10(5) cells/30 µl) were injected into the hearts of MI rats at 3 different points in infracted zone and infarct border zone. After 4 weeks, left ventricular (LV) function was examined by echocardiography, LV fibrosis was detected by HE and Masson staining, and myocardial protein expression of Ki-67 and p-H3 was evaluated by immuohistochemistry and mRNA expression of cyclinD1 and PCNA was detected by real-time RT-PCR. Results: (1) Thirty-seven rats (sham group=10, saline group=8, Ad-null-CSC group=9 and ILK-CSC group=10) survived at 4 weeks after operation. Left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD, P=0.009) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD, P=0.002) were significantly increased, and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF, P=0.006) was decreased in saline group compared with those of sham group.In Ad-null-CSC group LVESD (P=0.005) and LVEDD (P=0.003) were decreased, but LVEF remained unchanged (P=0.113) compared with those of saline group. LVESD (P=0.004) and LVEDD (P=0.000 1) of ILK-CSC group were significantly decreased, and LVEF (P=0.004) was significantly increased compared with those of Ad-null-CSC group. (2) LV histology and myocardial fibrosis: there were marked myocyte loss and significant increase of myocardial fibrosis in the saline group((70.6±5.1) %, P=0.002) and Ad-null-CSC group((57.7±3.4) %, P=0.001) compared with sham group ((8.2±2.2) %), while the fibrosis was significantly attenuated post injection of ILK-CSC ((30.6±7.0)%, P=0.005 vs. Ad-null-CSC). (3) Protein levels of mitotic genes: the results of immuohistochemistry showed that the brown positive particles were presented in the nuclei of cardiac myocytes in saline, Ad-null-CSC and ILK-CSC groups, but they were negative in sham group. The protein expression of Ki-67 (P=0.007) and phosphohistone-H3 (p-H3) (P=0.003) in ILK-CSC group was significantly higher than in Ad-null-CSC group. (4) mRNA levels of mitotic genes: the results of real-time RT-PCR showed that the mRNA levels of cyclinD1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in saline and Ad-null-CSC groups were similar as in sham group (all P>0.05). However, in ILK-CSC group they were significantly increased compared with those in Ad-null-CSC group (cyclinD1, P=0.003; PCNA, P=0.004). Conclusion: Our results suggest that myocardial transplantation of CSC overexpressing ILK improves cardiac function in the post-MI rats, and this beneficial effect may be related to the enhanced proliferation of cardiac myocytes and attenuated myocardial fibrosis.

Downregulation of long non-coding RNA LINC01133 is predictive of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate long non-coding RNA LINC01133 (LINC01133) expressions in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and discuss its correlation with CRC clinicopathological features and prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: qRT-PCR was performed to measure expression levels of LINC01133 in CRC tissues. The chi-square test was used to assess LINC01133 expression with respect to clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were performed to identify survival differences in CRC patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed using the Cox proportional hazard analysis. RESULTS: LINC01133 was significantly down-regulated in CRC tissues compared to normal tissue samples (p < 0.001), and a low expression of LINC01133 was found to be significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.004), distant metastasis (p = 0.043), N classification (p = 0.022) and TNM stage (p = 0.011). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high LINC01133 expression predicted significantly better overall survival (p = 0.0093). Finally, multivariate analysis results indicated that LINC01133 was an independent prognostic factor in CRC. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that reduced LINC01133 expression contributed to CRC metastasis and poor prognosis. Thus, LINC01133 might serve as a promising biomarker for prognosis of CRC.

[Salubrinal improves cardiac function in rats with heart failure post myocardial infarction through reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated apoptosis].

OBJECTIVE: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in ischemia-mediated cell death. The aim of the current study is to investigate the effects of salubrinal (Sal), a selective eIF2a dephosphorylation inhibitor, on heart failure rats and related mechanisms. METHODS: Heart failure was induced by coronary artery ligation (MI) in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. To ensure comparable MI sizes post coronary artery ligation on various groups, echocardiography examination was performed before and 30 minutes after ligation in MI groups. Then rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: Sham group (n=12), MI group (n=10), MI plus vehicle injections group (DMSO group, n=12) and MI plus Sal injection group (Sal group, n=12). Sal (1 mg/kg) or DMSO was injected via the tail vein daily for the first 3 days (starting at 30 minutes after ligation of the left coronary artery), followed by subcutaneous injections twice per week for 8 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and cell apoptosis assessed by flow cytometric analysis after 8 weeks. Protein and mRNA levels of ER stress markers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and real time RT-PCR respectively. RESULTS: Eight weeks later, LVEF was significantly higher, while LVESD and LVEDD values were significantly lower in Sal group compared to MI and DMSO groups (all P<0.05); LV/BW ratio was significantly higher in MI group than in Sham group ((2.30±0.40) mg/g vs.(1.78±0.31) mg/g, P<0.05), which was significantly reduced in Sal group ((1.88±0.25) mg/g), but not in DMSO group((2.25±0.36) mg/g, P<0.05 vs. MI). In addition, flow cytometric analysis showed that Sal treatment significantly reduced apoptosis but not necrosis in post MI. Immunohistochemistry and real time PCR analysis showed that the myocardial protein and mRNA expression of ER stress markers were significantly lower in Sal group than in MI group, myocardial caspase-12 expression was significantly upregulated in MI group and significantly reduced by Sal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that reduction of ER stress and myocardial apoptosis through inhibition of eIF2α dephosphorylation may serve as the potential mechanisms for the improved cardiac function and attenuated cardiac remodeling post Sal treatment in this heart failure rat model.

A new strategy for complete identification of sea buckthorn cultivars by using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers.

DNA fingerprinting is both a popular and important technique with several advantages in plant cultivar identification. However, this technique has not been used widely and efficiently in practical plant identification because the analysis and recording of data generated from fingerprinting and genotyping are tedious and difficult. We developed a novel approach known as a cultivar identification diagram (CID) strategy that uses DNA markers to separate plant individuals in a more efficient, practical, and referable manner. A CID was manually constructed and a polymorphic marker was generated from each polymerase chain reaction for sample separation. In this study, 67 important sea buckthorn cultivars cultivated in China were successfully separated with random amplified polymorphic DNA markers using the CID analysis strategy, with only seven 11-nucleotide primers employed. The utilization of the CID of these 67 sea buckthorn cultivars was verified by identifying 2 randomly chosen groups of cultivars among the 67 cultivars. The main advantages of this identification strategy include fewer primers used and separation of all cultivars using the corresponding primers. This sea buckthorn CID was able to separate any sea buckthorn cultivars among the 67 studied, which is useful for sea buckthorn cultivar identification, cultivar-right-protection, and for the sea buckthorn nursery industry in China.

Management and outcomes of axial isolated distal deep vein thrombosis at North Shore Hospital, New Zealand: a retrospective audit.

BACKGROUND: It is standard of care to treat proximal vein deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for a minimum of 3 months. Conversely, management of isolated distal DVT (IDDVT) is controversial, with options including observation and repeat ultrasound scan within 1 week to detect and anticoagulate those with proximal propagation, or anticoagulation for periods of up to 3 months. AIM: The aim was to assess the rates of proximal propagation and venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence within 3 months of diagnosis of IDDVT, and to examine how the duration of treatment might influence this. METHODS: Study patients were identified by retrospective audit of data from the North Shore Hospital VTE database. All patients presenting with established axial vein distal DVT from July 2007 to June 2012 were included. A 6-week treatment duration cut-off was used to separate the treatment arms (<6 weeks vs 6 weeks vs >6 weeks), and Fisher's exact or Pearson's Chi-squared tests were used to assess between-group comparisons. RESULTS: Five hundred and seven patients were included in the study, mean age 59.7 years; 53% female. There were three cases of proximal propagation, all occurring in those receiving <6 weeks treatment. There were six VTE recurrences, three in the <6 week and three in the ≥6 week treatment groups respectively. Malignancy was the only significant predictor of VTE recurrence (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A 6-week duration of anticoagulation appears to be an effective and safe treatment for isolated axial distal DVT, with low rates of VTE recurrence and proximal propagation.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cypermethrin, amitraz, and piperonyl butoxide mixtures for the control of resistant Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Mexican tropics.

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of cypermethrin, amitraz, and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) mixtures, through in vitro laboratory bioassays and in vivo on-animal efficacy trials, for the control of resistant Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus on cattle in the Mexican tropics. Also, to examine mechanisms of resistance to cypermethrin in this tick population, the frequency of a mutated sodium channel gene (F1550I) was determined using a PCR assay. Results of laboratory bioassays using modified larval packet tests revealed that cypermethrin toxicity was synergized by PBO (from 46.6-57.0% to 83.7-85.0% larval mortality; P<0.05). The cypermethrin and amitraz mixture showed an additive effect (from 46.6-57.0% to 56.0-74.3% larval mortality). Strong synergism was observed with the mixture of cypermethrin+amitraz+PBO and this mixture was the most effective killing resistant tick larvae in vitro (96.7-100% of larval mortality). Tick larvae surviving exposure to cypermethrin or mixtures either with amitraz and PBO in vitro showed 2.9-49.6 higher probability to present the mutated allele than those killed by acaricide treatment (P<0.05). In the in vivo trial, the mixtures containing cypermethrin+PBO (80.6-97.3%), and cypermethrin+amitraz (87.0-89.7%) were more efficacious than cypermethrin alone (76.3-80.5%). The highest level of efficacy was obtained with the mixture of cypermethrin+amitraz+PBO, which yielded >95% control that persisted for 28 days post-treatment against R. microplus infesting cattle when tested under field conditions in the Mexican tropics. Although this mixture is a potentially useful tool to combat pyrethroid resistance, a product based on an acaricide mixture like the one tested in this study has to be used rationally.