Relationship between shift type and sleep quality in rotating-shift nurses with chronotype as a moderator variable.

BACKGROUND: Rotating-shift nurses are susceptible to sleep disorders due to numerous factors, such as their biological clock, emotions, and age. At present, a lack of research exists on whether chronotype and shift type jointly influence the sleep quality of nurses. AIM: To verify whether chronotype is a moderator variable of the relationship between shift type and sleep quality in nurses in order to provide empirical evidence for future mental and physical health improvement. METHOD: Clinical rotating-shift nurses at a medical center in northern Taiwan were recruited as participants between November 1, 2023, and December 13, 2023. All of the nurses were working a monthly rotating shift schedule. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed to investigate whether the influence of shift type on sleep quality in nurses varied with chronotype. The STROBE checklist was used for reporting this study. RESULTS: The participants were 255 rotating-shift nurses in this study. Hierarchical multiple regression results revealed that rotating-shift nurses who were older (B = 0.19, p = 0.029), had greater physical fatigue (B = 0.27, p = 0.016), and had more negative emotions (B = 0.17, p = 0.011) suffered from poorer sleep quality. After controlling the above factors, we further found that chronotype indeed had moderating effects on the influence of shift type on sleep quality (B = -1.83, p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that early- and intermediate-type nurses are more suitable for working the day and evening shifts, whereas late-type nurses are more suitable for working the night shift. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Coordinating chronotype with shift type will ensure that shift schedules better match the biological clocks of nurses; such individual considerations could help to improve their sleep quality.

Integrating predictive coding and a user-centric interface for enhanced auditing and quality in cancer registry data.

Data curation for a hospital-based cancer registry heavily relies on the labor-intensive manual abstraction process by cancer registrars to identify cancer-related information from free-text electronic health records. To streamline this process, a natural language processing system incorporating a hybrid of deep learning-based and rule-based approaches for identifying lung cancer registry-related concepts, along with a symbolic expert system that generates registry coding based on weighted rules, was developed. The system is integrated with the hospital information system at a medical center to provide cancer registrars with a patient journey visualization platform. The embedded system offers a comprehensive view of patient reports annotated with significant registry concepts to facilitate the manual coding process and elevate overall quality. Extensive evaluations, including comparisons with state-of-the-art methods, were conducted using a lung cancer dataset comprising 1428 patients from the medical center. The experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the developed system, consistently achieving F1-scores of 0.85 and 1.00 across 30 coding items. Registrar feedback highlights the system's reliability as a tool for assisting and auditing the abstraction. By presenting key registry items along the timeline of a patient's reports with accurate code predictions, the system improves the quality of registrar outcomes and reduces the labor resources and time required for data abstraction. Our study highlights advancements in cancer registry coding practices, demonstrating that the proposed hybrid weighted neural-symbolic cancer registry system is reliable and efficient for assisting cancer registrars in the coding workflow and contributing to clinical outcomes.

Interaction between Chromodomain Y-like Protein and Androgen Receptor Signaling in Sertoli Cells Accounts for Spermatogenesis.

Spermatogenesis is a highly regulated process dependent on androgen receptor (AR) signaling in Sertoli cells. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of spermatogenic failure, by which loss of AR impairs downstream target genes to affect Sertoli cell function, remain incompletely understood. By using microarray analysis, we identified several AR-regulated genes involved in the maturation of spermatogenesis, including chromodomain Y-like protein (CDYL) and transition proteins 1 (TNP-1), that were significantly decreased in ARKO mouse testes. AR and CDYL were found to co-localize and interact in Sertoli cells. The AR-CDYL complex bound to the promoter regions of TNP1 and modulated their transcriptional activity. CDYL acts as a co-regulator of AR transactivation, and its expression is decreased in the Sertoli cells of human testes from patients with azoospermia. The androgen receptor-chromodomain Y-like protein axis plays a crucial role in regulating a network of genes essential for spermatogenesis in Sertoli cells. Disruption of this AR-CDYL regulatory axis may contribute to spermatogenic failure. These findings provide insights into novel molecular mechanisms targeting the AR-CDYL signaling pathway, which may have implications for developing new therapeutic strategies for male infertility.

Biphasic Scaffold Loaded With Autologous Cartilage Yields Better Clinical Outcome and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Filling Compared With Marrow Stimulation for Focal Osteochondral Lesions in the Knee.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of marrow stimulation (MS) versus biphasic scaffold loaded with autologous cartilage (scaffold) in treating focal osteochondral lesions of the knee. METHODS: In total, 54 patients with symptomatic focal chondral or osteochondral lesion in the knee were randomized to either the scaffold group or the MS group. International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score, the Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed preoperatively and at 1 and 2 years after operation to compare treatment outcomes. Biopsy and second-look arthroscopy were performed at 1 year postoperatively for consenting patients. RESULTS: There were 27 patients (mean age 31.33 ± 10.95 years) in the scaffold group, and 27 patients (31.74 ± 11.44) in the MS group. The scaffold group and the MS group both included 23 patients with lesions ≤12.5 × 12.5 mm2 mm in size. In addition, each group had 4 patients with lesions between than 12.5 × 12.5 mm2 and ≤12.5 × 25 mm2. Both interventions achieved significant improvement in clinical outcome scores at 2 years. The scaffold group had greater International Knee Documentation Committee score than the MS group at 2 years (93.85 ± 9.55 vs 92.11 ± 9.84) and in the Symptoms/Stiffness and Sport/Recreation subscales of Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score at 2 years (96.57 ± 5.97 vs 93.57 ± 6.52, P < .05) and (90.2 ± 17.76 vs 82.8 ± 16.08, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of biphasic scaffold loaded with autologous cartilage in treating focal osteochondral lesions demonstrates superior clinical outcomes and better cartilage refill on magnetic resonance imaging at the 2-year follow-up compared to marrow stimulation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, Randomized controlled trial.

Wogonin ameliorates ER stress-associated inflammatory response, apoptotic death and renal fibrosis in a unilateral ureteral obstruction mouse model.

Wogonin, a vital bioactive compound extracted from the medicinal plant, Scutellaria baicalensis, has been wildly used for its potential in mitigating the progression of chronic diseases. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge due to its high prevalence, morbidity and mortality rates, and associated complications. This study aimed to assess the potential of wogonin in attenuating renal fibrosis and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms using a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model as a CKD mimic. Male mice, 8 weeks old, underwent orally administrated of either 50 mg/kg/day of wogonin or positive control of 5 mg/kg/day candesartan following UUO surgery. NRK52E cells were exposed to tumor growth factors-beta (TGF-ß) to evaluate the anti-fibrotic effects of wogonin. The results demonstrated that wogonin treatment effectively attenuated TGF-ß-induced fibrosis markers in NRK-52E cells. Additionally, administration of wogonin significantly improved histopathological alterations and downregulated the expression of pro-fibrotic factors (Fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin, Collagen IV, E-cadherin, and TGF-ß), oxidative stress markers (Catalase, superoxide dismutase 2, NADPH oxidase 4, and thioredoxin reductase 1), inflammatory molecules (Cyclooxygenase-2 and TNF-α), and the infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages in UUO mice. Furthermore, wogonin treatment mitigated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated molecular markers (GRP78, GRP94, ATF4, CHOP, and the caspase cascade) and suppressed apoptosis. The findings indicate that wogonin treatment ameliorates key fibrotic aspects of CKD by attenuating ER stress-related apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, suggesting its potential as a future therapeutic target.

A Preliminary Investigation of the Roles of Endometrial Cells in Endometriosis Development via In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses.

Endometriosis is a complex gynecological disease that affects more than 10% of women in their reproductive years. While surgery can provide temporary relief from women's pain, symptoms often return in as many as 75% of cases within two years. Previous literature has contributed to theories about the development of endometriosis; however, the exact pathogenesis and etiology remain elusive. We conducted a preliminary investigation into the influence of primary endometrial cells (ECs) on the development and progression of endometriosis. In vitro studies, they were involved in inducing Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rat-isolated primary endometrial cells, which resulted in increased nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA gene expression (quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, qPCR) and protein expression (western blot analysis). Additionally, in vivo studies utilized autogenic and allogeneic transplantations (rat to rat) to investigate endometriosis-like lesion cyst size, body weight, protein levels (immunohistochemistry), and mRNA gene expression. These studies demonstrated that estrogen upregulates the gene and protein regulation of cytoskeletal (CK)-18, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), VEGF, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, particularly in the peritoneum. These findings may influence cell proliferation, angiogenesis, fibrosis, and inflammation markers. Consequently, this could exacerbate the occurrence and progression of endometriosis.

Research status and prospect of ratoon rice in China under mechanically harvested condition.

The proportion and area of ratoon rice planting in China have been substantially increased, due to continuous improvement of rice breeding methods and consecutive innovation of cultivation technology, which has developed into one of rice planting modes with significant production efficiency. Combining the experience in research and practice, from the perspective of crop physiology and ecology, we reviewed the current situation and prospects of high-yielding formation and physiological mechanisms of ratoon rice. We focused on four key aspects: screening and breeding of ratoon rice cultivars and the classification; suitable stubble height for mechanically harvested ratoon rice, as well as water and fertilizer management; dry matter production and allocation in ratoon rice and the relationship with yield formation; regenerative activity and vigor of ratoon rice roots and their relationship with rhizosphere micro-ecological characteristics. As for the extending of mechanized low-cut stubbles ratoon rice technique, we should properly regulate the rhizosphere system, coordinate rhizosphere nutrient supply, germination of axillary buds, and tillering regeneration, to achieve the target of "four-high-one-low", that is high regeneration coefficient, high number of regeneration panicle, high harvest index, high yield, high quality, low-carbon and safe, aiming to improve the sustainability of ratoon rice industry.

MyD88 exacerbates inflammation-induced bone loss by modulating dynamic equilibrium between Th17/Treg cells and subgingival microbiota dysbiosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the contribution of myeloid differentiation primary-response gene 88 (MyD88) on the differentiation of T helper type 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells and the emerging subgingival microbiota dysbiosis in Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced experimental periodontitis. METHODS: Alveolar bone loss, infiltrated inflammatory cells, immunostained cells for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were quantified by microcomputerized tomography and histological staining between age- and sex-matched homozygous littermates (wild-type [WT, Myd88+/+] and Myd88-/- on C57BL/6 background). The frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells in cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) and spleen were determined by flow cytometry. Cytokine expression in gingival tissues, CLNs, and spleens were studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Analysis of the composition of the subgingival microbiome and functional annotation of prokaryotic taxa (FAPROTAX) analysis were performed. RESULTS: P. gingivalis-infected Myd88-/- mice showed alleviated bone loss, TRAP+ osteoclasts, and RANKL/OPG ratio compared to WT mice. A significantly higher percentage of Foxp3+CD4+ T cells in infected Myd88-/- CLNs and a higher frequency of RORγt+CD4+ T cells in infected WT mice was noted. Increased IL-10 and IL-17a expressions in gingival tissue at D14-D28 then declined in WT mice, whereas an opposite pattern was observed in Myd88-/- mice. The Myd88-/- mice exhibited characteristic increases in gram-positive species and species having probiotic properties, while gram-negative, anaerobic species were noted in WT mice. FAPROTAX analysis revealed increased aerobic chemoheterotrophy in Myd88-/- mice, whereas anaerobic chemoheterotrophy was noted in WT mice after P. gingivalis infection. CONCLUSIONS: MyD88 plays an important role in inflammation-induced bone loss by modulating the dynamic equilibrium between Th17/Treg cells and dysbiosis in P. gingivalis-induced experimental periodontitis.

Decoding and reconstructing disease relations between dry eye and depression: a multimodal investigation comprising meta-analysis, genetic pathways and Mendelian randomization.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical presentations of dry eye disease (DED) and depression (DEP) often comanifest. However, the robustness and the mechanisms underlying this association were undetermined. OBJECTIVES: To this end, we set up a three-segment study that employed multimodality results (meta-analysis, genome-wide association study [GWAS] and Mendelian randomization [MR]) to elucidate the association, common pathways and causality between DED and DEP. METHODS: A meta-analysis comprising 26 case-control studies was first conducted to confirm the DED-DEP association. Next, we performed a linkage disequilibrium (LD)-adjusted GWAS and targeted phenotype association study (PheWAS) in East Asian TW Biobank (TWB) and European UK Biobank (UKB) populations. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were further screened for molecular interactions and common pathways at the functional gene level. To further elucidate the activated pathways in DED and DEP, a systemic transcriptome review was conducted on RNA sequencing samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Finally, 48 MR experiments were implemented to examine the bidirectional causation between DED and DEP. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis showed that DED patients are associated with an increased DEP prevalence (OR = 1.83), while DEP patients have a concurrent higher risk of DED (OR = 2.34). Notably, cross-disease GWAS analysis revealed that similar genetic architecture (rG = 0.19) and pleiotropic functional genes contributed to phenotypes in both diseases. Through protein-protein interaction and ontology convergence, we summarized the pleiotropic functional genes under the ontology of immune activation, which was further validated by a transcriptome systemic review. Importantly, the inverse variance-weighted (IVW)-MR experiments in both TWB and UKB populations (p value <0.001) supported the bidirectional exposure-outcome causation for DED-to-DEP and DEP-to-DED. Despite stringent LD-corrected instrumental variable re-selection, the bidirectional causation between DED and DEP remained. CONCLUSION: With the multi-modal evidence combined, we consolidated the association and causation between DED and DEP.

Underlying mechanisms of novel cuproptosis-related dihydrolipoamide branched-chain transacylase E2 (DBT) signature in sunitinib-resistant clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the predominant form of malignant kidney cancer. Sunitinib, a primary treatment for advanced, inoperable, recurrent, or metastatic RCC, has shown effectiveness in some patients but is increasingly limited by drug resistance. Recently identified cuproptosis, a copper-ion-dependent form of programmed cell death, holds promise in combating cancer, particularly drug-resistant types. However, its effectiveness in treating drug resistant RCC remains to be determined. Exploring cuproptosis's regulatory mechanisms could enhance RCC treatment strategies. Our analysis of data from the GEO and TCGA databases showed that the cuproptosis-related gene DBT is markedly under expressed in RCC tissues, correlating with worse prognosis and disease progression. In our study, we investigated copper CRGs in ccRCC, noting substantial expression differences, particularly in advanced-stage tumors. We established a connection between CRG expression levels and patient survival, positioning CRGs as potential therapeutic targets for ccRCC. In drug resistant RCC cases, we found distinct expression patterns for DBT and GLS CRGs, linked to treatment resistance. Our experiments demonstrated that increasing DBT expression significantly reduces RCC cell growth and spread, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic target. This research sheds new light on the role of CRGs in ccRCC and their impact on drug resistance.

The effect of multimodal care based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory on postoperative recovery in lung cancer surgery: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains a major global health concern due to its high incidence and mortality rates. With advancements in medical treatments, an increasing number of early-stage lung cancer cases are being detected, making surgical treatment the primary option for such cases. However, this presents challenges to the physical and mental recovery of patients. Peplau known as the "mother of psychiatric associations" has formulated a theory of interpersonal relationships in nursing. Through effective communication between nurses and patients over four periods, she has established a good therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of perioperative multimodal nursing based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory on the rehabilitation of patients with surgical lung cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 106 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at our department between June 2021 and April 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the different nursing intervention techniques. The Peplau's group comprised 53 patients who received targeted nursing interventions, and the control group comprised 53 patients who received conventional nursing care. We observed the patients' illness uncertainty, quality of life, and clinical symptoms in both groups. RESULTS: Patients in the Peplau's group had significantly lower illness uncertainty scores and a significantly higher quality of recovery than those in the control group. However, there were no significant differences in length of post-anesthesia care unit stay, complication rates, and visual analog scores between both groups. CONCLUSION: The multimodal perioperative nursing based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory not only reduces the illness uncertainty of patients with lung cancer surgery and improves their QoR but also expands the application of this theory in clinical practice, guiding perioperative nursing of patients with lung cancer. IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide practical information for standardized care in a hectic anesthetic care setting. IMPACT: The assessed anesthesia nursing model helps reduce uncertainty and promote early recovery in patients with cancer at various stages of their disease, which expands the scope of therapeutic practice and existing theories. It also serves as a guide for care in the anesthesia recovery room. REPORTING METHOD: We adhered to the relevant Equator guidelines and the checklist of items in the case-control study report. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patients cooperated with medical staff to complete relevant scales.

A ternary nucleotide-lanthanide coordination nanoprobe for ratiometric fluorescence detection of ciprofloxacin.

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a widely used broad-spectrum antibiotic and has been associated with various side effects, making its accurate detection crucial for patient safety, drug quality compliance, and environmental and food safety. This study presents the development of a ternary nucleotide-lanthanide coordination nanoprobe, GMP-Tb-BDC (GMP: guanosine 5'-monophosphate, BDC: 2-amino-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid), for the sensitive and ratiometric detection of CIP. The GMP-Tb-BDC nanoprobe was constructed by incorporating the blue-emissive ligand BDC into the Tb/GMP coordination polymers. Upon the addition of CIP, the fluorescence of terbium ion (Tb3+ ) was significantly enhanced due to the coordination and fluorescence sensitization properties of CIP, while the emission of the BDC ligand remained unchanged. The nanoprobe demonstrated good linearity in the concentration range of 0-10 µM CIP. By leveraging mobile phone software to analyze the color signals, rapid on-site analysis of CIP was achieved. Furthermore, the nanoprobe exhibited accurate analysis of CIP in actual drug and milk samples. This study showcases the potential of the GMP-Tb-BDC nanoprobe for practical applications in CIP detection.

Influence of body mass index on severity of rotator cuff tears.

BACKGROUND: Research on the relationship between obesity and rotator cuff tears (RCTs) has been limited to the impact of obesity on the results of arthroscopic repair of RCTs; thus, a need for rigorous research controlling for other factors affecting RCTs is warranted, especially to better understand the impact of body mass index (BMI) on RCT severity. METHODS: A retrospective study of admission records contained in electronic medical records pertaining to patients who were admitted for RCT repair on 1 shoulder between January 2018 and July 2022 was conducted. In total, 386 patients were included. In accordance with guidance regarding obesity from Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, patients were divided into three groups: underweight or normal weight (BMI <24.0 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 24.0-26.9 kg/m2), or obese (BMI ≥27.0 kg/m2). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess RCT severity in terms of four parameters: Patte stage (PS), fatty infiltration (FI), anteroposterior tear size (AP), and retraction size. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed on PS and FI grade data, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed on AP tear size and retraction size in order to analyze impact. RESULTS: Our results revealed that the average age of the 386 patients was 63.41 years (SD = 9.29) and the mean BMI was 25.88 (SD = 3.72) kg/m2. We found significant differences in PS (P = .003), FI (P < .001), retraction size (P = .001), and AP tear size (P = .001) among patients who were underweight or normal weight, overweight, and obese. After controlling for other risk factors, including age, gender, RCT-prone occupation, duration of shoulder pain prior to surgery, history of shoulder injury, and tobacco use, we found that obese patients had higher severity levels in PS (B = 1.21, OR = 3.36, P = .029), FI (B = 1.38, OR = 3.96, P < .001), retraction size (ß = 0.18, P = .001), and AP tear size (ß = 0.18, P = .001) compared to underweight or normal weight patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that a correlation exists between BMI-measured obesity and RCT severity. We therefore suggest that adults control their weight given that maintaining a healthy weight is highly associated with better shoulder health.

Liaw's Ellipse Anteversion Method for Distinguishing Acetabular Component Retroversion from Anteversion on Plain Radiographs.

Improper acetabulum component position is a significant risk factor for postoperative dislocation after total hip arthroplasty. Several radiographic two-dimensional methods exist for measuring acetabulum component anteversion, but they cannot distinguish between anteversion and retroversion. "Liaw's version," initially proposed as a simple mathematical standardized two-dimensional method, was modified to the computerized ellipse method, proving superior accuracy to traditional two-dimensional methods. In this article, we demonstrated its application in detecting and measuring retroverted acetabulum component. We obtained anteroposterior pelvis radiographs from a patient undergoing total hip arthroplasty on the day of surgery and 2 weeks postoperatively. The computerized ellipse method was used to measure the acetabulum component orientation. Upon comparison, the difference between θ assigned to be retroverted (9.52-8.56 = 0.96) is much smaller than the difference between θ assigned to be anteverted (23.81-18.86 = 4.95), leading us to determine retroversion. This was further confirmed by computed tomography at the 6-week follow-up. We propose that using the computerized ellipse method to measure Liaw's version can be a valuable tool in identifying acetabulum component retroversion on anteroposterior radiographs during routine postoperative follow-up and retrospective assessments of total hip arthroplasty patients.

Correlation between Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture of the Knee and Osteoarthritis Progression in Patients with Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear.

A medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) contributes to knee joint degeneration. Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair (ATPR) may restore biomechanical integrity for load transmission. However, degeneration persists after ATPR in certain patients, particularly those with preoperative subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK). We explored the relationship between preoperative SIFK and osteoarthritis (OA) progression in retrospectively enrolled patients who were diagnosed as having an MMPRT and had received ATPR within a single institute. Based on their preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), these patients were then categorized into SIFK and non-SIFK groups. OA progression was evaluated by determining Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade changes and preoperative and postoperative median joint widths. SIFK characteristics were quantified using Image J (Version 1.52a). Both groups exhibited significant post-ATPR changes in medial knee joint widths. The SIFK group demonstrated significant KL grade changes (p < 0.0001). A larger SIFK size in the tibia and a greater lesion-to-tibia length ratio in the coronal view were positively correlated with more significant KL grade changes (p = 0.008 and 0.002, respectively). Thus, preoperative SIFK in patients with an MMPRT was associated with knee OA progression. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between SIFK lesion characteristics and knee OA progression.

Mapping out the bibliometric characteristics of classic articles published in a Taiwanese academic journal in dentistry: A scopus-based analysis.

Background/purpose: Since its inception, the Journal of Dental Sciences (JDS) has aimed to publish quality articles relevant to all fields in dentistry. The purpose of this study was to analyze the bibliometric characteristics and dissected associated factors correlated with citation counts of classic articles published in the JDS. Materials and method: Scopus® database was used to search the qualified articles published in JDS from 2009 to 2021. The bibliometric parameters, including journal impact factor (JIF), self-citation, study design, research field, geographic, country and institute of origin, inter-institute, inter-nation collaboration, keywords hotness and associated factors correlated with citation counts of classic articles were analyzed. Results: One hundred and eight articles from Scopus® database were eligible for analysis. The citation counts of classic articles ranged from 12 to 192, the average citation was 22.02. The most common study design was the in vitro/in vivo, followed by the cross-sectional study, and the major research field were Dental Materials. The most productive country and institute is Taiwan, and Chung Shan Medical University, respectively. The trend of inter-institute (71.03%) and inter-nation (11.22%) collaboration steadily increased since 2009. By using the multivariable linear regression model, Preventive and Community Dentistry in the research field significantly increased the citation counts. Conclusion: Despite its limitations, the escalating trends in JIFs, and JIFs without self-citations, and inter-nation and inter-institute collaboration of classic articles were noticed. Of all the dissected associated factors, Preventive and Community Dentistry in the research field significantly increased the citation counts of classic article.

Bioinspired and self-restorable alginate-tyramine hydrogels with plasma reinforcement for arthritis treatment.

Long-standing administration of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs confirms their clinical value for managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nevertheless, there are emergent worries over unwanted adverse risks of systemic drug administration. Hence, a novel strategy that can be used in a drug-free manner while diminishing side effects is immediately needed, but challenges persist in the therapy for RA. To this end, herein we conjugated tyramine (TYR) with alginate (ALG) to form ALG-TYR and then treated it for 5 min with oxygen plasma (ALG-TYR + P/5 min). It was shown that the ALG-TYR + P/5 min hydrogel exhibited favorable viscoelastic, morphological, mechanical, biocompatible, and cellular heat-shock protein amplification behaviors. A thorough physical and structural analysis was conducted on the ALG-TYR + P/5 min hydrogel, revealing favorable physical characteristics and uniform porous structural features within the hydrogel. Moreover, ALG-TYR + P/5 min not only effectively inhibited inflammation of RA but also potentially regulated lesion immunity. Once ALG-TYR + P/5 min was intra-articularly administered to joints of rats with zymosan-induced arthritis, we observed that ALG-TYR + P/5 min could ameliorate syndromes of RA joint. This bioinspired and self-restorable ALG-TYR + P/5 min hydrogel can thus serve as a promising system to provide prospective outcomes to potentiate RA therapy.

Complement components C3b and C4b as potential reliable site-specific diagnostic biomarkers for periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the expression levels of C3b and C4b in human gingival tissue (GT) and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and disease severity in human periodontitis and to determine whether C3b and C4b are significant site-specific complementary diagnostic markers for periodontitis. BACKGROUND: A variety of biomarkers that have potential for informing diagnoses of periodontitis have been proposed. The complement components C3b and C4b were found to be positively correlated with disease severity. The therapeutic effect of targeting C3b and C4b on inflammatory bone loss in experimental periodontitis models has been studied. However, studies on the diagnostic potential of the gingival C3b and C4b expression levels for periodontitis are scarce. METHODS: The expression levels of C3b and C4b in the GT and GCF were investigated via immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The correlation between the expression levels of C3b and C4b and disease severity with probing depth as well as the clinical attachment level were determined. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the C3b and C4b expression levels at the periodontitis sites, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, cut-off point, area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, and specificity were analyzed. RESULTS: The expression levels of C3b and C4b in human GT and GCF were significantly positively correlated with periodontitis severity. The expression levels of combined C3b + C4b in the GT can significantly differentiate the disease status at the tissue level (p < .0001). Similarly, the expression levels of C3b + C4b in GCF can statistically distinguish periodontitis sites from healthy ones (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Locally deposited C3b and C4b were positively correlated with periodontitis severity and recognized as site-specific diagnostic biomarkers for clinicopathological features in periodontitis. The association between the C3b and C4b network and periodontitis may be further understood and provide a basis for the development of novel screening as well as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for periodontitis.