Carboxymethylated Abrus cantoniensis polysaccharide prevents CTX-induced immunosuppression and intestinal damage by regulating intestinal flora and butyric acid content.

As a Chinese folk health product, Abrus cantoniensis exhibits good immunomodulatory activity because of its polysaccharide components (ACP), and carboxymethylation of polysaccharides can often further improve the biological activity of polysaccharides. In this study, we explored the impact of prophylactic administration of carboxymethylated Abrus cantoniensis polysaccharide (CM-ACP) on immunosuppression and intestinal damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) in mice. Our findings demonstrated that CM-ACP exhibited a more potent immunomodulatory activity compared to ACP. Additionally, CM-ACP effectively enhanced the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria in immunosuppressed mice and regulated the gene expression of STAT6 and STAT3 mediated pathway signals. In order to further explore the relationship among polysaccharides, intestinal immunity and intestinal flora, we performed a pseudo-sterile mouse validation experiment and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment. The findings suggest that CM-FMT and butyrate attenuate CTX-induced immunosuppression and intestinal injury. CM-FMT and butyrate show superior immunomodulatory ability, and may effectively regulate intestinal cell metabolism and repair the damaged intestine by activating STAT6 and STAT3-mediated pathways. These findings offer new insights into the mechanisms by which CM-ACP functions as functional food or drug, facilitating immune response regulation and maintaining intestinal health.

Research on the effects of tooth demineralization prevention with Duraphat frequently used in orthodontic patients / 口腔医学

Objective@#To investigate the effect of frequently used Duraphaton preventing dental demineralization of patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. @*Methods@# A total of 50 orthodontic patients wearing fixed appliances at Department of orthodontics, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Nanjing Medical University from June to December 2021 were selected as study subjects by convenient sampling method. They were then randomly divided into experimental group and control group according to random numbers. The experimental group received high-frequency fluoride treatment for unilateral maxillary lateral incisors and no treatment on the contralateral side. Meanwhile, the control group received placebo treatment for unilateral maxillary lateral incisors and no treatment on the contralateral side. Each patient was followed up for 6 months. The initial and final photographs of patients' maxillary lateral incisors were observed and scored to determine the mean demineralization progression index for each group.@*Results@#The difference in mean demineralization progression index was statistically significant when comparing different groups(P<0.05), and the lowest incidence of demineralization was reported in the Duraphattreated group (0.960±0.465), followed respectively by the fluoride-free control group (1.213±0.713), the placebo control group (1.267±0.720) and the placebo treatment group (1.307±0.713). @*Conclusion@#High frequency use of Duraphatis is effective in reducing the incidence of demineralization in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances.

Effects of Diets With Different Protein Levels on Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbes in the Host of Different Genders.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different protein levels on lipid metabolism and gut microbes in mice of different genders. A total of 60 mice (30 female and 30 male) were randomly assigned to six groups and fed female mice with low protein diet (FLP), basal protein diet (FBD), and high protein diet (FHP). Similarly, the male mice fed with low protein diet (MLP), basal protein diet (MBD), and high protein diet (MHP). The low protein diet contained 14% CP, the basal diet contained 20% CP, and the high protein diet contained 26% CP. The results of the study showed that both basal and high protein diets significantly reduced the perirenal adipose tissues (PEAT) index in male mice compared to low protein diet (p < 0.05). For the gut, the FHP significantly increased the relative gut weight compared to the FBD and FLP (p < 0.05). At the same time, the FHP also significantly increased the relative gut length compared with the FBD and FLP (p < 0.05). The MHP significantly increased TC concentration compared with the MLP (p < 0.05), and the MBD tended to increase TC concentration compared with the MLP in serum (p = 0.084). The histomorphology result of the jejunum and ileum showed that a low protein diet was beneficial to the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine of mice. While different protein levels had no effect on the total number of fecal microbial species in mice, different protein levels had a significant effect on certain fecal microbes in mice, the absolute abundance of Verrucomicrobia in the feces of male mice was significantly higher in both high and basal protein diets than in the low protein diet (p < 0.05). The high protein diet significantly reduced the absolute abundance of Patescibacteria in the feces of female mice compared to both the basal and low protein diets (p < 0.05). The absolute abundance of Patescibacteria in male feces was not affected by dietary protein levels (p > 0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that a low protein diet can alter fat deposition and lipid metabolism in mice, and that it benefited small intestinal epithelial structure and microbes.

Spread and Molecular Characteristics of Enterobacteriaceae Carrying fosA-Like Genes from Farms in China.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence and molecular characteristics of fosfomycin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates from pig, chicken and pigeon farms in Guangxi Province of China. A total of 200 fosfomycin-resistant strains were obtained from food animals and their surrounding environments, with the fosA, fosA3, and fosA7.5 genes being detected in 26% (52/200), 10% (20/200), and 5% (10/200), respectively. Surprisingly, three fosA7.5-producing E. coli isolates were found to be concomitant with fosA3. Most of the fosA-like-gene-positive isolates were multidrug-resistant strains and consistently possessed blaCTX-M-1/CTX-M-9, floR, and blaTEM genes. Only fosA3 was successfully transferred to the recipient strains, and the 29 fosA3-carrying transconjugants exhibited high-level resistance to fosfomycin (MIC ≥ 512 µg/mL). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) combined with enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) analyses indicated that fosA3 or fosA7.5 genes were spread by horizontal transfer as well as via clonal transmission between E. coli. We used the PCR mapping method to explore the genetic contexts of fosA-like genes, and two representative strains (fEc.1 and fEcg99-1) were fully sequenced. Six different genetic structures surrounding fosA3 were detected and one infrequent context was discovered among the conjugable fosA3-positive E. coli isolates. The five genetic environments of fosA were identified and found to be highly similar to the partial sequence of transposon Tn2921. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) results showed that fosA7.5 was colocalized with mcr-3, blaCMY-63, sul3, tet(A), dfrA, and a number of virulence-related factors on the same chromosomes of strains, and various insertion sequences (IS3/ISL3) were detected upstream or downstream of fosA7.5. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that both fosA7.5- and fosA3-carrying E. coli ST602 and fosA7.5-carrying E. coli ST2599 were closely related to E. coli isolates from humans, which may indicate that they pose a threat to human health. IMPORTANCE Here, we report the widespread and complex genetic environments of fosA-like genes in animal-derived strains in China. The fosA7.5 gene was identified in this study and was found to confer resistance to fosfomycin. The high prevalence of fosA-like genes in farms indicates that food animals serve as a potential reservoir for the resistance genes. This study also discovered that fosfomycin resistance genes were always associated with mobile elements, which would accelerate the transmission of fosA-like genes in strains. Importantly, E. coli ST602 and ST2599 carrying fosA3 or fosA7.5 from food animals had high similarity to E. coli isolates from humans, suggesting that fosA-like genes can be transmitted to humans through the food chain, thus posing a serious threat to public health. Therefore, the prevalence of fosA-like genes isolated from animals should be further monitored.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Evaluation of Skeletal Deformities and Pharyngeal Airway in Chinese Han Individuals With Nonsyndromic Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationships between skeletal deformities and the pharyngeal airway of patients with nonsyndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Orthodontics and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Departments in the Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, China. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: The sample comprised 30 nonsyndromic UCLP patients and 30 healthy controls. Each group has 23 males and 7 females. INTERVENTIONS: All cone-beam computed tomography images were obtained with the participant in the standard supine position and asked to bite with intercuspal position without swallowing or moving their heads and tongues during scanning. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): SNA, SNB, ANB, anterior cranial base, Wits appraisal, maxillary length (PTM-ANS || FH), maxillary position (S-PTM || FH), mandibular length (Go-Pog || MP), FMA, posterior face height, anterior face height, Posterior-Anterior face height, lower face height, pharyngeal airway volumes, and areas were evaluated by Dolphin imaging software. RESULTS: The UCLP group showed significantly decreased SNA, SNB, ANB, PTM-ANS || FH, S-PTM || FH, P-A Face Height compared with the controls. However, the airway volumes and areas showed no significant difference between 2 groups. The total airway volume and minimum cross-sectional area in UCLP patients were related to the Go-Pog || MP and FMA. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with UCLP have both the maxillary and mandibular deficiencies in the sagittal dimension. Both the sagittal and vertical relationships of the jaw might affect the airway volume and area. However, no significant difference was detected in airway volume and area in UCLP patients when compared with the controls.

Genetic Variants of BMP2 and Their Association with the Risk of Non-Syndromic Tooth Agenesis.

Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (or non-syndromic congenitally missing tooth) is one of the most common congenital defects in humans affecting the craniofacial function and appearance. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with an individual's susceptibility to these anomalies. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the roles of the potentially functional SNPs of BMP2 in the occurrence of tooth agenesis. Overall, four potentially functional SNPs of BMP2 (rs15705, rs235768, rs235769 and rs3178250) were selected, and their associations with the susceptibility of tooth agenesis were evaluated in a case-control study of 335 non-syndromic tooth agenesis cases and 444 healthy controls. The SNPs rs15705 and rs3178250 were found to be associated with an individual's risk of tooth agenesis (P = 0.046 and P = 0.039, respectively). Both SNPs showed an increased risk of mandibular incisor agenesis (rs15705, AA/AC vs. CC = 1.58, 95% CI = [1.06-2.34], P = 0.024; rs3178250, TT/TC vs. CC = 1.60, 95% CI = [1.08-2.37], P = 0.020). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that these two SNPs located at the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of BMP2 might alter the binding ability of miR-1273d and miR-4639-5p, respectively, which was confirmed by luciferase activity assays in the 293A and COS7 cell lines (P < 0.001 in 293A and P < 0.01 in COS7 for miR-1273d; and P < 0.001 in both cells for miR-4639-5p). Furthermore, BMP2 mRNA expression decreased after transfecting either miR-1273d or miR-4639-5p into these two cell lines (P < 0.01 in 293A and P < 0.001 in COS7 for miR-1273d, and P < 0.01 in both cell lines for miR-4639-5p). Taken together, our findings indicate that rs15705 and rs317250 are associated with the susceptibility of non-syndromic tooth agenesis by possibly affecting miRNAs and mRNA interaction.

TPM1 polymorphisms and nonsyndromic orofacial clefts susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.

Located at 15q22 a susceptibility region for nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSOC), TPM1 encodes a group of highly conserved ubiquitous actin-binding proteins involved in the muscle contraction and cytoskeleton organization. Considering the multiple functions of TPM1 gene, we investigated the potential relationship between TPM1 polymorphisms and risk of NSOC in a Chinese Han population. Four tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of TPM1 (rs11071720, rs3803499, rs12148828, and rs1972041) were selected to conduct a case-control study with 673 NSOC patients and 705 unrelated healthy controls from a Chinese Han population. The SNPs were genotyped by the IPLEX Sequenom MassARRAY platform. SNP rs1972041GA showed a decreased risk of NSOC in heterozygotes (P = 0.038, OR = 0.77, 95%CI = [0.61, 0.99]). Further stratified analysis revealed an enhanced protective effect of the minor allele G at rs197204 on lip with cleft palate (CLP) and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) groups under a codominant or dominant model. No association was observed between the remaining three markers (rs11071720, rs3803499, and rs12148828) and NSOC as well as its subgroups. TPM1 polymorphisms might contribute to the etiology of NSOC, and more emphasis should be placed on TPM1 during craniofacial development.

Effects of particle composition and environmental parameters on catalytic hydrodechlorination of trichloroethylene by nanoscale bimetallic Ni-Fe.

Catalytic nickel was successfully incorporated into nanoscale iron to enhance its dechlorination efficiency for trichloroethylene (TCE), one of the most commonly detected chlorinated organic compounds in groundwater. Ethane was the predominant product. The greatest dechlorination efficiency was achieved at 22 molar percent of nickel. This nanoscale Ni-Fe is poorly ordered and inhomogeneous; iron dissolution occurred whereas nickel was relatively stable during the 24-hr reaction. The morphological characterization provided significant new insights on the mechanism of catalytic hydrodechlorination by bimetallic nanoparticles. TCE degradation and ethane production rates were greatly affected by environmental parameters such as solution pH, temperature and common groundwater ions. Both rate constants decreased and then increased over the pH range of 6.5 to 8.0, with the minimum value occurring at pH 7.5. TCE degradation rate constant showed an increasing trend over the temperature range of 10 to 25°C. However, ethane production rate constant increased and then decreased over the range, with the maximum value occurring at 20°C. Most salts in the solution appeared to enhance the reaction in the first half hour but overall they displayed an inhibitory effect. Combined ions showed a similar effect as individual salts.